Stay With Me
by xx lunar queen xx
Summary: It was exactly 9:51 in the morning when the entire world changed forever. And it was exactly two days after the world changed when Bubbles Utonium woke up. ? Apocalypse AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! First, I just want to say thank you for checking out my story; I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Second: * All characters in this story are human***

 **No superpowers, no crime-fighting, nothing like that. I won't spoil anything but I'm pretty sure you guys can guess that Bubbles' world has become dangerous and she's in for a rude awakening, no pun intended.**

 **Please review and let me know what you think!**

* * *

 **.: 1 :.**

It was exactly 9:51 in the morning when the entire world changed forever.

Some say it was a virus or some sort of biohazard that escaped an underground lab; others say it was nature striking back against humanity.

Whatever the cause, it all happened at the exact time the large hand struck fifty-one, and that's when utter chaos erupted. People began screaming and running, some scrambling to get out of their cars and join the herd of panicking people. Confusion and fear ran rampant; what exactly was going on? Why were people trying to escape from the city of Townsville? Was there some sort of terrorist attack happening? Was there a gunman on the loose?

No one knew what was going on, only that screams, car alarms, and the sounds of extreme panic were echoing from Citysville, those same noises beginning to emerge within Townsville shortly after people began to leave their cars and flood the streets to get away from whatever was happening at City Hall. The usual news stations were not broadcasting any information regarding Citysville or Townsville for that matter, since everything was happening so quickly, but something was clearly wrong because both cities were officially put under quarantine. Families were swiftly reassigned to houses outside of the quarantine zone.

You'd think they'd keep these families inside on the off-chance they were infected, but not this time. The army was confident it was just a small problem, nothing to worry about; a few days of blocking both places off to take care of whatever needed to be taken care of would result in order being restored and families would be able to return to their normal lives in no time. How wrong they were when the United States and the other continents quickly became overrun and humanity found itself in a battle to survive.

It was exactly 9:51 in the morning when the entire world changed forever.

And it was exactly two days after the world changed when Bubbles Utonium woke up.

* * *

The first thing Bubbles Utonium noticed when she woke up from her heavy slumber was the unusual silence that filled her home.

Usually by now, she would hear oldies music blaring in the kitchen and the hum of the living room television. The walls were thin in her home so you could easily hear these things even from upstairs. Her father enjoyed listening to music while he cooked and her sisters enjoyed watching early morning reruns of old, nostalgic '90s sitcoms. The Utonium family was always busy, but early mornings were set aside for relaxation and catching up with each other. Sometimes Buttercup would bring home new video games for them to try out over the weekend, Blossom would bring home fliers about different festivals and fun events the college in Citysville was hosting, and Bubbles would always let everyone know when a visit to the beach was necessary. The Professor, though quite busy himself, always tried to put aside time to spend with his daughters and did his best to keep up with their individual interests, but recently no one had time for trips or relaxation.

Blossom was up to her knees in last-minute assignments from college since finals' week was just around the corner and Buttercup was in the process of transferring to another school. Bubbles had her own mountain of assignments to tackle but any thoughts of working through the last-minute papers and online classes were brought to a screeching halt last week when she woke up feeling like death. She figured her family had already gotten up and left to get started on whatever agendas they had for the day, so although the silence was somewhat peculiar, she knew better than to freak out.

The blonde had been in and out of consciousness for the past few days, her high fever causing a delirious fog to settle over her mind. She'd caught a nasty strain of the flu from being around sick students at the local community college and the antibiotics prescribed to her seemed to do little to help her fight off the illness. Her father had taken a few days off from work to help her recover, bless him, and the last thing Bubbles remembered before passing out was him telling her he was heading to the supermarket and would return shortly. After that, she couldn't remember hearing or seeing him return... And she couldn't remember seeing or hearing her sisters, either.

She groaned as she forced herself to sit up, grateful that the Professor had not only left a bottle of water close to her bed but had also closed her curtains so that the sunshine wouldn't worsen the throbbing, fever-induced headache.

Taking a long sip of her water, she eased out of bed and stretched. It felt like the flu was finally leaving her and it felt good to get out of bed. She ran her fingers through her hair and made a face at how greasy it felt; now that she could move around without debilitating dizziness, it was time for a shower.

When Bubbles had cleaned herself up and made it downstairs, the entire house was just as empty as it sounded. Blossom, Buttercup, and the Professor weren't around, so she guessed her earlier hunch of them having already left for the day was right, but she noticed a repetitive, fuzzy noise echoing from the living room. Bubbles checked it to find that no one was there, it was just the television blaring static, and she turned the appliance off, silence covering the room much like it did the entire house. She was slightly baffled to find the front door slightly ajar, though the locks didn't look like they were broken and she was able to close the door all the way. She quickly checked the remainder of the house to make sure no one had broken in before closing the front door and re-locking it.

Bubbles entered the kitchen and noticed it was in slightly more disarray than the living room, a chair laying sideways on the floor as if someone had jumped out of their seat. A pot of soup sat on the stove and she lifted the lid only to pull back, gagging. Whatever the Professor had been cooking, it was definitely spoiled now.

Perhaps the Professor had been called into work and had to leave quickly? That would explain the pot of soup and the fallen chair, but it still didn't make sense; he was kind of a neat-freak and would never just up and leave without cleaning up after himself or leaving the door wide open like it was, especially not when Bubbles was upstairs by herself. Something funny was going on here and she didn't like it one bit.

After getting rid of the spoiled soup and depositing the pot into the sink, Bubbles set the overturned chair upright and sank onto it, her headache from earlier threatening to return. She couldn't stop wondering about the peculiar state of her house; had someone tried to force their way inside or rob them? She suddenly began to wonder if something had happened to her family.

 _No way,_ she thought, after mulling it over for a few moments. _We live in a decent neighborhood and we're on friendly terms with all our neighbors, plus no one would mess with Buttercup, and_ _Blossom would've been smart enough to call the cops if she thought someone was going to try something like that. And if there was a struggle, I would have heard it._

It was possible that Buttercup stopped by to pick something up and forgot to close the door all the way. Sometimes she was in such a hurry that she didn't always think about what she was doing; her hefty track record of in-school suspensions and visits to the principal's office were proof of that.

Satisfied with her reasoning, Bubbles did what she could to clean up the house: vacuuming the living room, sweeping up in the kitchen, washing the dishes. By the time she was finished, it was evening; the roads that twisted and turned throughout the small neighborhood in which she lived were usually quiet and devoid of traffic, so nothing seemed out of the ordinary in that aspect. The Professor didn't usually get home until late so she didn't expect him until eleven, but the girls were almost always back by four; it was currently six.

Bubbles wondered if they got caught up somewhere; maybe Blossom and Buttercup met up to grab dinner at one of the city's many diners, or maybe there was a lot of traffic in the city. It nagged at her that no one had returned home yet, but she knew she was just being ridiculous. The rest of the Utonium family would be back soon and the house would be full of their usual chaos once more; she just had to wait a little longer today. Buttercup would probably tease her for being such a worry-wart and Blossom, in turn, would scold Buttercup for leaving the front door open (if she was the one who left it open, that is).

It suddenly dawned on her that she'd missed a few days of school. She cursed under her breath and immediately went upstairs to get started on her reading; knowing her professors, she'd probably missed a sizeable amount of work and getting caught up was going to be a long, tiring road. It would be even more anxiety-inducing since she only had a few weeks left of the semester to tie up any loose ends as far as assignments went. Checking the calendar told her that tomorrow was Wednesday, so she'd be heading back to school in the middle of the week. She wasn't one-hundred percent back to good health, but she was feeling well enough to go back so she might as well bite the bullet and face all that makeup work head-on.

After trying to read as much as she could from the books her professors had assigned, Bubbles made herself a sandwich before ensuring the house was locked down. Once she was sure everything was ship-shape and secure, she returned upstairs and went to bed to try to get some more well-needed rest. She'd need it for the hectic, busy day to come.


	2. Chapter 2

**.: 2 :.**

Bubbles turned her head from side to side in the mirror before giving herself a reassuring nod, satisfied with how her pigtails looked. She knew she was a little old for such a childish hairstyle, but she didn't care; she thought the cutesy look suited her.

Eight o'clock would arrive quickly enough so she'd gotten up at six to eat and get cleaned up for the day. Bubbles didn't mind early morning classes, but she definitely wasn't looking forward to the mountain of work that was probably waiting for her, as well as the knowledge that a few professors had probably lowered her grade. She had a doctor's note to cover her recent absences but still; even if her grades were fine, she still had to play catch-up and figure out the material that had already been taught. Not all of her professors allowed for make-up work and that would set her back quite a bit.

On her way out, she was happy to find that the front door hadn't been tampered with while she slept through the night. The house was secure but still empty; she was a little concerned that none of her family had returned, but figured perhaps they had their reasons for staying out. The Professor always had things to do at the lab, Buttercup sometimes got sidetracked and did her own thing, and Blossom was probably stuck at the library churning out papers. While Bubbles was used to her family's constant presence, sometimes they stayed out much later than usual to get stuff done and more often than not, they came home, changed and ate quickly, then went back out to run more errands if they needed to. Maybe this was just another one of those times where everyone was too busy to come home; maybe they'd come back earlier to quickly wash up, change, eat, and decided not to disturb her.

She had charged her phone and checked it multiple times, wondering if one of them had texted her their plans to stay out, but there were no new messages waiting for her. Bubbles had a weird feeling in her gut that something was wrong, but decided it was better not to panic and stay optimistic. She figured that if her family still didn't show up by nightfall, she'd go out looking for them, but for now, she put her earbuds in, selected a playlist, and began her journey to school.

The walk to Townsville University was long but pleasant and she nodded along to a playlist of her favorite songs blasting in her ears. Now that the weather was getting warmer, the flowers were in full bloom and the birds were constantly singing lovely little songs. The sunshine felt good on the blonde's skin and she reveled in the beautiful morning, happy to not only be on her way back to school but also glad the flu had left her system. Being stuck in bed was never fun and it felt good to be able to go out again.

However, today was noticeably different. Bubbles made it about two-thirds of the way to school when she noticed how uncharacteristically still the world around her was, pulling one earbud out to better inspect her surroundings. The usual chorus of nature that she was used to hearing in the early mornings was silent for once, and no occasional cars passed by. She hadn't encountered any other pedestrians and the usual cacophony of noise that Townsville produced was absent. Everything was completely silent and it was like she was the only person left in the world, though she knew that was a ridiculous notion. There were over six billion other people in the world; she reasoned that there might be some big event happening in Townsville or Citysville and everyone flocked to whatever was taking place.

Bubbles pressed on, hopeful that she'd come across someone or something that could tell her what was going on. She turned a corner and kept a careful eye on her surroundings, baffled by the sight of such orderly emptiness that greeted her. Cars lined the streets as they usually did, so Bubbles figured maybe those people were at work in the skyscrapers that lined every block, but that didn't account for the lack of traffic. Townsville was a pretty popular place, if not full of its usual residents then constantly bombarded by curious, eager tourists. The traffic lights were still working and a few of the corner stores Bubbles passed by were lit up as they always were, but she didn't see _anyone_.

When she finally made it to the campus, the bad feeling in her gut intensified ten-fold as soon as she caught sight of the building her classes were held in, and she wondered if she was just nervous about returning to school. Playing catch-up after being absent was never fun but she had to face the music sometime, and now was the time to push her best effort forward if she wanted to get a good grade.

However, Bubbles noticed the campus was just as empty as the rest of the city. Everything appeared to be completely still, the only movement coming from a piece of paper the wind picked up and tossed to the ground again, and she decided it was time to hightail it back home. Something was very wrong and she had no idea what was going on, but Townsville and its university should not have been this empty or quiet. Bubbles wanted to enter her usual building and see if anyone was inside, but the entire campus looked deserted save for the few cars parked in the parking lots and even those were devoid of people. She would not have been so nervous if it weren't for the lack of chaos; cars piled up would at least indicate that something dangerous swept through the city but every single bunch of cars she came across were lined up perfectly, as if whoever owned them parked them neatly and walked away. Bubbles had no idea what to think about that but it certainly gave her a bad feeling.

She turned on her heel and began to go back the way she came. As she did so, she checked her cell phone once more but the local websites and news apps didn't indicate anything bad going on. In fact, when she checked the dates, the last news reports were from a few days ago and they didn't report anything out of the ordinary. That perplexed her; the Townsville news stations _always_ had something new to report every day, even if it was just small stuff.

Bubbles paused her journey to check a few of the corner stores she usually passed, looking through the various newspapers on display but finding nothing for today's date, or even yesterday's for that matter. What the heck was going on?!

She was flipping through one of the newspapers and came to a page that said something about Citysville when a bone-chilling roaring noise pierced the air, causing her to jump and the newspaper to fall from her hands. Bubbles whirled around, trying to pinpoint where the sound could have come from when she heard another noise that caused a heavy fear to sink into her bones and adrenaline to pump through her veins. The sound resembled a growl, but that was certainly _not_ an animal's growl. The blonde scrambled to hide herself behind the store counter and, after a few more moments of uneasy silence, peeked around the corner, her pulse quick and thunderous in her ears.

What the hell could have made such a distressing, disturbing noise? Something had roared, but it didn't sound like a human or animal, so what could it be? Did it see her before she hit the deck? The thought that it could be a monster flitted briefly through the blonde's mind but she quickly shook it off; monsters didn't exist and she mentally scolded herself for even considering the idea. Whatever was out there had to be an animal and she just had to hide right now, let it pass by, and then she needed to get back home where she would be safe and sound.

 _Home_... If Townsville was truly empty, then what did that mean about her family? Were they gone, too? If so, why hadn't they taken her with them? Did something happen to them...?

Frustration at her lack of knowledge caused tears to prickle at the edges of her vision. She couldn't stand not knowing what was going on and there seemed to be nothing to clue her into what had happened to Townsville during those few days she'd been in and out of consciousness. Could this be some sort of sick prank? Buttercup _did_ always like watching that show _Punk'd_... Was it possible that she'd somehow convinced the entire city to prank Bubbles?

No... No, that wasn't possible at all and that roar Bubbles heard sounded angry, fierce with an animalistic rage that reminded the girl of all those nature documentaries the Professor used to put on as background noise while he worked. Maybe a few animals from the local zoo escaped and everyone was staying inside until the animals were rounded up and returned to their cages? That was sort of plausible.. Besides, she hadn't checked any buildings to see if people were around, so maybe she was getting all worked up for nothing. She blinked her tears away and tuned back into her surroundings.

The sound of footsteps scuffing against gravel captured her attention and she peeked around the counter corner, her eyes drinking in the sight of a tall, thin man that looked to be in his early thirties, and relief flooded her at the sight of another person. His back was to Bubbles and, as she got a better look at his clothes, he appeared to be a little worse for wear, his clothes torn up and stained with something dark she couldn't make out. Bubbles was about to emerge from her hiding spot and say hello, maybe even ask him if he knew what was happening, but that thought died as soon as he turned around.

Whatever he was, he wasn't human anymore: his eyes were sunken in and rimmed by thick dark circles, black spider-web veins extending around and down his sickly pale face. A chill ran down Bubbles' spine as she noted his eyes were a disturbing red that seemed to glow with malice and his lips, smeared with some sort of reddish-brown substance that made Bubbles' stomach turn, were slightly parted to reveal unusually-sharp teeth. He sniffed the air, eyes closing for a moment before flying open again, a spine-tingling growl erupting from deep inside his chest. The sound made Bubbles shiver and she held her breath to keep as silent as possible as the man began to stalk towards the counter where she was.

She could hear his breathing, heavy and labored, as he circled the shelves. Just when Bubbles thought he was going to lean over the counter and discover her, a bloodcurdling scream echoed throughout Townsville and the creature that had been trying to sniff her out took off, its growls and grunts growing farther and farther away until Bubbles was sure it was gone. She risked a peek over the top of the counter and found that she was alone again. Horrific growls, screeches, and roars sounded off again somewhere on the other side of the city and she bolted in the direction of her house, not stopping even when her body threatened to fail her. The flu had run its course, but she was still a little weak and it was when she reached the city outskirts that she allowed herself a moment of rest, leaning against a tree trunk for support while she fought to catch her breath.

 _What the hell_ was _that thing?_ She had never seen or heard anything like it. The phrase 'zombie apocalypse' popped up in her mind but Bubbles knew that couldn't be right; that sort of thing never happened in real life, only in fiction (and most of the video games Buttercup liked to play). Besides, those _things_ didn't look like they were undead, but they certainly looked sickly... She shuddered, remembering the stains around that man's mouth. She didn't want to know what he'd been doing to gain those reddish smears.

But that brought another question to mind. How many of them were out there? Was he the only one or were there more inhuman creatures prowling around the city?

A few more roars and screams rose up distantly from within the city, effectively answering her questions, and Bubbles decided it was time to continue on, using the last of her energy to sprint towards her house. Once it was in her sights, she quickly unlocked the front door, ran inside, and locked it behind herself, her heart thumping furiously against her ribcage.

 _Am I even safe in here?_ she wondered, looking at the windows that were only slightly obscured by the thick drapes that were tied at the sides. _What if some of them are in this neighborhood? What if I was followed? What if they try to get in?_

Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes and she tugged at her pigtails as a horrifying thought nagged at the edges of her mind.

 _What if my family is dead? What if they were killed or they got turned into those monsters?_

No... She didn't want to think about that and couldn't imagine something like that. Blossom, Buttercup, even the Professor... They _had_ to be alive. There was no way her tough-as-nails sisters and compassionate, brilliant father could have been lost to those things out there. Knowing the Professor, Blossom, and Buttercup, they had to be holed up somewhere safe until this—whatever _this_ was—blew over.

Bubbles moved to free the drapes so that no outsiders would be able to look into the window and see her moving about. It didn't offer much of a sense of security since that one creature was trying to use his sense of smell to locate her whereabouts, which indicated those things could easily sniff her out if they wanted to, but it was better than just leaving the living room completely exposed to any potential onlookers.

She checked the rest of the house and covered up any and all windows with blankets, hoping that even if something picked up her scent they might think her house was empty and decide it wasn't worth exploring. After double-checking the front door and back doors to ensure they were locked, she slumped down onto the living room sofa and rubbed her arms anxiously, watching her body continue to tremble from the adrenaline and fear still coursing through her veins.

She was in shock and had no idea what to think. She didn't want to consider the fact that some sort of epidemic had swept through Townsville, leaving her as the sole survivor. Granted, there could be other survivors out there, but she'd played enough video games and seen enough zombie movies to know that not every human being had good intentions; apocalyptic situations such as this brought out the worst in people and if she encountered any other people, she would have to be _extremely_ careful.

That being said, the idea that she was all by herself both frightened and saddened her. Bubbles wasn't a stupid girl and she could be tough when she needed to be, but without her family... The thought of being the only Utonium left wasn't something she could handle, not even on her best day.

After trying and failing to calm herself down, she grabbed her backpack and began to rummage through it for her phone. She desperately checked every news app and website she could, even her inbox, but nothing had changed from this morning. Some of the websites had even crashed, unavailable to anyone who might wish to access them. Bubbles was slightly surprised to find that she still had service and decided to try dialing Buttercup's phone. It rang, giving the blonde hope that maybe, just maybe, her family would be alright, but it soon went to voicemail and any hope she had was immediately dashed.

 _"Hey, it's Buttercup. You know what to do." Beeep!_

"H-hi, Buttercup, it's me." Her soft voice was full of tears; she swallowed the lump that formed in her throat and continued. "Um... P-please call me as soon as you get this. I'm all by myself and I'm scared and _please_ , if you're okay, please call me."

With that, she ended the call and placed the phone down, pulling her knees into her chest in an attempt to hold herself together. She felt more alone and scared than she ever had before in her life. Bubbles wasn't known for being the bravest out of her entire family—that was Buttercup's forte—but this was _way_ out of her league. She could try to be brave and hold out against whatever was out there, but for how long? What if her family never came back, what if she was the last human being alive? What happened when she ran out of food or the power finally went out— _then_ what?

And so, in the deafening silence of her house, Bubbles Utonium buried her face in her arms and cried.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to minimateking30 and Powerpuff Girls Z Fan 24 for reviewing, and thank you for the favorite & follows! :) **

**To answer your questions: Bubbles is nineteen in this story and ironically enough, I've never seen 28 Days Later, but it's on my list of movies to check out, haha. The inspiration for this story came after watching a plethora of different horror game walkthroughs, movies, & reading manga/novels. I'm a huge horror nerd and I've had this plot in my head for months, I just never had the time to sit and write it all down. Even though I got inspired by lots of different works, I'm trying to make this story as original as I can. Not sure if it's working, but an FF author can try, right?**

 **Thank you again for giving my story a chance! Hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

 **.: 3 :.**

Bubbles didn't sleep very well that night, nor was she able to eat much of anything. She tried making herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich but the thick, gooey jelly reminded her of the smears on that man's face and that was enough to kill her appetite. After covering the sandwich in saran-wrap and placing it in the fridge for later, she turned off all the lights and headed upstairs to the bedroom she shared with her sisters.

Seeing Blossom and Buttercup's beds was like a punch to the gut, but she tried to reassure herself that nothing had happened to them. It was likely that something _had_ happened, but thinking negatively wouldn't do her any good. Maybe they were somewhere safe, maybe they'd been able to get away from whatever was happening in Townsville. If that were the case, she wondered why they didn't pick her up. Why was she all by herself? Did they have time to come back and pick her up, or had they been rushed out of the city? Did those creatures kill everyone off? So many questions wracked her brain and she began to feel a headache coming on.

She curled up on her bed and listened to the silence of the house. It reminded her of the few power outages she'd experienced; it was rare, but sometimes violent thunderstorms left parts of Townsville without electricity for a day or so. Bubbles never minded losing power but what bothered her most was laying in bed at night without white noise. She and her sisters always had a fan running and the gentle repetitive whirring sound soothed her. She wanted to put the fan on because she knew it would help her get to sleep—not that she could, after hearing all those terrifying roars—but she was paranoid of what could be lurking outside and decided to remain as quiet as possible, keeping the lights off and all sound muted.

The problem was that, without any sort of light or white noise, Bubbles' deepest fears began to crawl back up to the surface; she was always afraid of the dark even as a child and, although she was nineteen and definitely didn't believe there were monsters under her bed—they'd upgraded to taking over Townsville, it seemed—the inky blackness of night still made her uneasy even in adulthood. Anything could creep up on her and it was times like these that she wished she didn't humor Buttercup's knack for horror movies, games, and stories.

Every little sound caused Bubbles to become paranoid. The creaks and groans of the house were one of those creatures trying to find a way inside; the low hum of the fridge downstairs was them creeping around, waiting to burst in at any minute; the tree branches that tapped against her bedroom window was one of them clawing at the glass to get to her. Anything and everything set Bubbles' nerves on edge and it was enough to make her wish she wasn't alive to experience such a helpless feeling of fear.

And that was the core of it: Bubbles _was_ helpless. The Professor didn't own any guns and even if he did, she didn't know how to shoot. It wasn't in her nature to hurt others or lift a violent finger against anyone or anything so if one of those discovered her scent, all she could think to do was hide and hope for the best.

She didn't realize she dozed off until a gentle sliver of sunlight streamed in through the curtains and landed across her face. She realized, with slight disgust, that she forgot to take off her makeup from yesterday and lazily sauntered into the bathroom to wash up. The hot water felt good on her skin and helped her feel a little better, but her mind was still reeling from yesterday's venture into Townsville. It all felt like a bad dream and she kept wondering when she would wake up, but the logical part of her brain refused to let her forget this situation was all-too real.

She looked at herself in the mirror and wasn't surprised to see dark circles under her eyes from last night's lack of sleep, plus her body was still slightly recovering from the flu, so it was probably for the best she remain home until she was back to feeling one-hundred percent. She knew it wasn't a good idea but when she felt better, she figured she should try to go back to Townsville and see if there was anything or anyone that could clue her into what had happened. For all she knew, there could be other people out there holed up from whatever was lurking around the city. Bubbles knew all about how bad situations could turn human beings into savages, but some folks managed to retain their compassion, and she hoped she could come across those types of people... If she came across any people at _all_ , that is.

With that thought in mind, the blonde went downstairs and retrieved the sandwich she'd put away last night, ignoring the thoughts that compared strawberry jelly to bloody smears. She chewed thoughtfully and was delighted to hear a few birds singing outside. After peeking through the kitchen drapes, she noted that the neighborhood was still devoid of people or any of those sick-looking creatures, but at least the world wasn't _completely_ silent. She wondered how she could spend her day since the news apps weren't updating and the cable was out, and it was then that she decided to sit down with her jewelry kit and make some new bracelets. Something was better than nothing, right? Plus, it was a quiet enough activity that she could keep herself busy while keeping an ear out for any unusual sounds outside.

Bubbles returned to her bedroom and pulled the box from under her bed, wrinkling her nose at the thick layer of dust that had accumulated on the lid. She carefully lifted it and moved it aside to view the various beads and strings before setting to work on a new bracelet.

* * *

Five bracelets and a necklace later, it was noon and Bubbles was sick of looking at beads and string. She tossed the trinkets into the box and shoved it back under the bed, huffing in frustration as she checked her phone for the umpteenth time that day. No new messages, no news updates, nothing. Fatigue and boredom made her eyelids droop and she thought it might do some good to take a nap, but she was sick of being in bed; she'd spent enough time laying around the house before Townsville began to resemble a zombie apocalypse.

It was only when Bubbles set her phone down and was about to turn over to catch up on sleep when a familiar cheery ringtone exploded into the quiet of the house. Bubbles practically dove for her phone and relief flooded through her at the sight of Buttercup's contact photo. She hastily accepted the call.

"Hello?"

" _Bubbles_? Bubbles, oh my God—" Her sister's voice was laced with a mix of panic and relief. "Bubbles, where are you? Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine; what's going on? Where are you?"

"Listen, we're in one of the evacuation zones," Buttercup explained. "Are you at the house right now? Have you gone out at all?"

 _Evacuation zones? This really_ is _like a zombie apocalypse scenario_ , the blonde mused.

"I'm home," Bubbles replied. "I tried going out earlier, but—"

" _DON'T GO OUT!_ " The blonde jumped at her sister's harsh screech. "Stay inside, do _not_ go back outside, whatever you do! We don't know what happened, but there's a whole bunch of people that got infected. They're _not_ _right_ in the head, Bubbles, they'll kill you as soon as they see you. They're aggressive and they'll tear anyone they see to pieces and holy shit they're _nasty_ , Bubbles, and—"

A weird fumbling noise interrupted Buttercup's rant, followed by her indignant ' _hey_!'

"What Buttercup _means_ to say," Blossom's gentle voice amended. "Is that earlier this week, about three days ago, some kind of infection spread throughout Citysville. They tried to contain it, but a few infected patients managed to infiltrate Townsville. Everyone was evacuated before the city was completely overrun."

"But _I'm_ still here," Bubbles pointed out, feeling anguish over the fact that everyone else was evacuated yet she was left behind. "Why wasn't I evacuated? When I went out earlier, I didn't see any signs of people trying to leave the city, but I saw one of the infected and it didn't even look _human_. What's wrong with them?"

"We don't know," Blossom admitted. "No one knows what's wrong with them, but we know it's possible to become infected if you're bitten by one of them. And we _did_ try to come pick you up but by the time we were able to find each other, the military arrived and escorted everyone out. We tried to tell them that you were still at home but they wouldn't listen. When everything was sorted out and we were assigned to a house, the Professor, Buttercup, and I reported you missing to a few of the officials running this zone and they're going to send out a few men to look for you along with any other survivors that might be out there. I think they're going to be dispatched tomorrow, but it may take a day or two for them to reach you. If you can, stay inside the house and try not to make any noise at night; the infected... strong... hearing..."

"What?" The blonde squinted, trying to make sense of the sudden static that battled with her sister's voice. "I'm sorry, Bloss, but you're breaking up. What did you say?"

" _Fuck_!" That was definitely Buttercup. "Bubbles, just stay put, we'll be there soon! We love you, okay? We love—"

 _Click_!

Bubbles pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at Buttercup's blinking contact photo with disbelief. So this whole scenario _was_ like a zombie apocalypse, only those things out there weren't quite the shambling monsters Hollywood liked to exploit. They weren't exactly dead and they weren't exactly human but they were definitely dangerous. Bubbles still had so many questions and so little answers, but at least she'd been able to speak to Blossom and Buttercup. It was a huge relief to know they were alive and safe even though she was all by herself in this scary new side of Townsville. And they said someone would be coming to bring her to the evacuation zone they were currently staying at, so at least there was hope she would be reunited with them. Just knowing her family was alive and well was enough for her to keep going, even if she was currently a sitting duck.

The blonde leaned against her bed and mused that it was a good thing her family was in one of the evacuation zones; the Professor was a genius and could probably whip up a cure for whatever infection caused those inhuman creatures to lose their humanity, or maybe he could create a vaccine that made people immune. Knowing her sisters, they were probably doing all they could to help their fellow survivors. If they could be brave and try to make the best of this, then she could, too.

She ran a hot bath and tried to relax, letting the water soothe her worries. The usual noises of the house still made her feel wary but she wasn't as paranoid as before, reasoning that she would be out of here soon; she just had to hold on for now.

When she was clean and felt much better, she toweled off and changed into a pair of pajama shorts and a tank top before sliding into bed, her eyelids becoming heavy again from last night's lack of sleep. She was about to pull the covers over herself when a little blue light from her phone began blinking, temporarily lighting up the room every five seconds. Bubbles checked it and saw a text from Buttercup, swallowing thickly at the message.

 _'Don't go out, esp not at night. If they see you, hear you, or smell you, they'll kill you. Stay safe. Love you, C U soon.'_

It was terrifying to think that her fear of the dark was now a very valid, very reasonable fear to possess. She tried to send a reply, but the messages wouldn't go through, so she set her phone back onto the night stand and settled under the covers. She wondered if pulling them over her head would be enough to protect her from whatever was out and about tonight. It was a childish thought, but Bubbles felt herself smile. Wouldn't it be nice if pulling the covers over your head kept the bad things away? If only that worked...

It didn't take long before she gave into her exhaustion and drifted into unconsciousness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for your reviews! Especially you, Q: it's quite an honor to be told my writing flows like a movie cutscene. Thank you so much! I hope you, and all my other lovely readers, continue to enjoy the story!**

 **Keep in mind: everyone is human in this story, NO superpowers. If the PPG _did_ have their powers in this scenario, we wouldn't have much of a story since Bubbles could fly to the evacuation zone and they could easily take down the infected without gaining a single scratch.**

 **No superpowers; all human, all the dangers of a zombie apocalypse.**

* * *

 **.: 4 :.**

The first day that passed after Bubbles spoke with her sisters was spent cleaning the house while trying to keep as quiet as possible. It wasn't exactly the most entertaining way to pass the time, but it kept her busy. Deafening silence was her only company throughout this time because she was afraid to play music or make any sort of noise; she tried texting Buttercup a few times to see if she could a) get ahold of her sister and b) see if the daytime was safe, but her sister never responded and some of the messages wouldn't send. Bubbles' phone kept losing service so she was on her own, but she comforted herself by remembering Blossom's words: someone was coming for her. She would be reunited with her family in no time; she just had to stay put and pray her rescuers arrived soon.

The second day found Bubbles doing her nails. She didn't really feel like doing it and she was still a little too shaky for the polish to be applied perfectly, but it was better than staring at her cell phone and wondering when or if Buttercup would try to contact her again. After the polish had dried, Bubbles decided to raid Blossom's bookshelf for a story to take her mind off of the current situation at hand. She found a few manga that looked interesting and lost herself in those for a few hours, but she could only read so much before her eyes became strained and she got a headache.

The third and fourth days were lonely. Bubbles put on a few movies and kept them on mute with the subtitles on, but she was slowly becoming starved for social interaction. Seeing the on-screen families hug and fight and get into shenanigans together made her miss her father and sisters. She was starting to wonder if she would ever get to see them again. Her phone lost service completely and now she could no longer send or receive any messages or calls, not that she could before, but at least she had had the option. Now that her phone was practically useless except for its flashlight app, she had no contact with the outside world and no way to know if anything changed. She was truly and utterly alone and being stuck with her thoughts and endless silence 24/7 was starting to wear on her.

On the fifth day, she began to wonder where her rescuers were. Blossom said it would only take them one-to-two days to reach her, right? So where _were_ they? Did something happen to them, were they caught by one of the infected? That thought made her feel guilty; if she hadn't been sick in the first place, she would be with her family right now and there wouldn't be a need for someone to risk coming into the city to find her. Of course, Bubbles hoped other survivors were being rescued, but she hated to think that someone might lose their life trying to rescue _her_.

Day number six and Bubbles was ready to pull her hair out. She was starting to think that no one was coming for her. She hated being cooped up in the house and she hated not knowing what was going on in the outside world. It didn't help that she was beginning to run dangerously low on food and water. The tap water wasn't exactly ideal to drink and at some point during the night, the power finally went out. When she woke up, she was dismayed to find a majority of the refrigerator's contents spoiled; there hadn't been much food to begin with, but now all she had was a small portion of saltine crackers, a loaf of bread that had a few spots of green mold on it, and a half-full jar of peanut butter (she ran out of jelly on day four; luck was seriously not smiling upon her these days).

Normally their food supply would never get to such a dangerously low level, but with the Professor being as busy as he was along with the girls and their hectic college schedules, no one had had any time to really restock the pantry or fridge. The Professor tried to get to the supermarket before Townsville was hit with this supposed infection, but he never made it back home; if Bubbles wanted to survive, she would have to leave the house and scavenge for food.

Sure enough, it was day seven when Bubbles decided to go outside.

* * *

The blonde regarded herself in the mirror with a sense of déjà vu. It was only a few days ago that she stood in front of this same mirror, checking her pigtails and making sure she looked nice for school. A few days ago, that version of her was unaware, unafraid of anything, always finding the bright side of things. Now... Now she was slowly losing hope, terrified and wary of the world around her.

Malph's was the only place she could think to check for food. In terms of an apocalyptic situation, it was likely that other survivors already ransacked the well-known grocery store for supplies but Bubbles figured it was still worth exploring on the off-chance that it remained untouched or still contained some stuff. It was located in the city and she would have to be extra careful, but it was just far enough from where all those creatures liked to roar and roam about that she figured she'd be safe; it was just a matter of getting through the initial few streets. In and out, grab as much as she could carry, and be on her way back home before dusk fell. She emptied her backpack and slipped into a pair of flats to keep her footsteps light and quiet. Her outfit, consisting of a light blue skirt secured around her waist by a small black belt and a thin white sweater, was easy to move in and if Bubbles needed to run or duck down, she wouldn't have to worry about her clothes hindering her in any way.

After much inner-debate, Bubbles decided to take Buttercup's metal baseball bat as a means of protecting herself. She hated the thought of having to use it but it was a good idea to bring _some_ kind of weapon along, plus it offered a sense of security. She had her cell phone in her pocket and kept it on vibrate on the off-chance one of her sisters managed to contact her. It was unlikely that they would, but she would rather have her phone with her just in case. After double-checking to make sure she had everything she needed, she set off towards the grocery store, Buttercup's beloved 'Big Bessie' swinging beside her as she walked.

The journey was, as Bubbles expected, quiet, but she refused to let the eeriness of the world get to her. She was afraid of encountering an infected, but she couldn't help basking in the feel of the sun and enjoying the fresh air, happy to be out of the house even if it was only for a little while. It was nice to see the flowers in full-bloom, to see the small means of life that still remained in the afflicted city. The silence was not something Bubbles enjoyed, but at least her world was still bright and colorful; it was always best to look at the positives.

When she made it to Malph's, the old grocery store looked like it had seen better days. Half of the inside was still lit up but the other half was dark. The windows were shattered, broken glass littering the ground in front of it, and the blonde was horrified to find several maroon, body-shaped splotches around the parking lot. Some of them looked like they'd been there for a while; others looked fresh, the damp patches shining in the sunlight. She saw bloody pulps within a few of them and immediately looked away, her stomach threatening to turn if her gaze lingered on them. Bubbles repressed a shudder and maneuvered around the spots as best she could, hoping whatever caused those bloodstains was no longer in this area and made a mental note to move quickly so that _if_ the culprit _was_ still on the prowl around here, it wouldn't catch her and turn her into another stain on the concrete.

She managed to make it into the half-lit store and hesitated, listening and looking for any signs that the building might be inhabited by the infected. More broken glass decorated the linoleum flooring and a few aisles were obstructed by knocked-over shelves, but she didn't hear any heavy breathing or growling noises. Everything was absolutely still.

 _So far so good._

Bubbles tried to step over the mess of broken glass and winced when a few stray pieces crunched underneath her shoe. She froze and tuned into her surroundings again, waiting for a sign that something heard her and was going to emerge from the shadows. To her relief, nothing stirred; she exhaled quietly and continued to tiptoe towards one of the upright shelves, delighted to find rows upon rows of canned fruit, canned soup, and some loaves of bread that still looked edible. A few aisles down and she found huge packages of bottled water. Bubbles plucked her house key from her pocket and made quick work of the plastic, carefully adding as many water bottles as she could fit.

She stuffed as much stuff as she could into her backpack and left some money on the counter to satisfy her conscience. She exited the store and winced when she heard a few cans clinking against one another noisily in her bag and tried to walk slower, hoping it would somehow lessen the sound. Buttercup said not to go out at night so Bubbles figured she should be safe during the daytime, but she didn't want to test that theory anytime soon, especially not when she was currently weighed down. Plus, that one infected man had been up and about during the day; who's to say the other infected people were bound to the dark of night? Perhaps they were running around the city as she mulled this over; whatever the case, Bubbles didn't want to stick around and find out.

She continued her journey through the city to get back home and took a slightly different route when she saw something move behind one of the buildings. It didn't look big enough to be human but those things didn't exactly act human, so Bubbles refused to risk it. It was baffling to think that only days ago, she would have had no problem walking through the city, detours or not. Townsville was her home and she knew almost every nook and cranny; now, however, the city was no longer an old friend she'd grown up with. It was a stranger full of dark secrets and she didn't want to learn what other secrets lay in store alongside the one she already discovered.

More splashes of maroon and even black littered the streets and it made Bubbles wish she hadn't eaten anything, her stomach threatening to turn at the brutal-looking bloodstains. She could only assume those things enjoyed fighting each other and picking fights with other living creatures that had the misfortune to cross their path. But it was curious to see splashes of black; did the infection turn their blood that color or was that just old blood from past victims?

When she reached the heart of the city, Bubbles nearly vomited at the sight of so many dead human bodies littering the lawn of what used to be City Hall. People of all ages lay sprawled across the grass, all of them pale and lifeless, their eyes glossed over with death as they stared off into nothingness. Some of them had their eyes closed while others no longer had eyes. Some heads were no longer attached to their bodies, along with some arms, legs... Some torsos were even ripped in half and it was then that Bubbles _really_ wished she hadn't eaten anything.

City Hall was not the only place decorated with corpses. A few of the connected streets were littered with bodies and various disembodied limbs, splashes of blood adorning any and all surfaces. It looked like a massacre had taken place here and Bubbles could only stare in shock, speechless. Her heart hurt for these people; they were all just innocent human beings with lives, families, thoughts, feelings... They didn't deserve whatever horrible fate they got, and she wiped at a few stray tears that began to roll down her cheeks. She wished this was just a nightmare, that way she could wake up and chalk all of this up to playing too many horror games with Buttercup, but no matter how many times Bubbles tried to pinch herself awake, the atrocious scenery around her didn't fade away.

She forced herself to leave the scene and tried to put it out of her mind, instead focusing on getting back home in one piece, but the more she tried to think about other things, the more those lifeless eyes and bloodied, mangled bodies entered her mind. At one point it all became too much and she crumpled to the ground, her body trembling with muted sobs as she cried into her hands. What kind of disease could have caused people to turn on others in such a brutal, violent way? Bubbles didn't understand how an epidemic could breed such frightening aggression. It was even more upsetting to think she came close to joining those poor souls when she encountered that infected man her first time through this new version of Townsville.

When she was able to pull herself back together, she continued on towards the outskirts of Townsville and the sun's position in the sky told her it was a little past noon. Bubbles stopped at a tiny bookstore that had completely-shattered windows and searched for new reading material. She had gone through Blossom's entire collection and decided she might as well get some new books while she was out, especially since she would need something to take her mind off of the traumatic scene she had just come across. She browsed through a few genres and occasionally picked up a book every now and then if the cover grabbed her attention. Bubbles was just beginning to thumb through a manga which was, ironically enough, about people living in a zombie apocalypse, when she heard something outside. She immediately ducked behind one of the shelves and crept towards the register, hoping she had enough time to hide behind the counter before whatever was lurking out there decided to come in.

"Hello?"

Bubbles was shocked to realize the voice was human. Could it really be another person's voice, or were those creatures smarter than they let on? Did they have the ability to mimic voices?

"Hell _ooo_? Anyone in there?"

That was definitely a man's voice, but he sounded young, maybe around her age. Bubbles' pulse pounded in her ears and she wished she could put her heartbeat on mute. Now was definitely not the time for her hearing to be obstructed by anything, let alone the organ beating frantically within her chest.

She remained still and listened as footsteps entered the small convenience store. Whoever was here with her didn't sound like the sickly man she'd encountered the week before and she didn't hear labored, heavy breathing. The shadow that poured in through the front door looked and moved in a human-like manner.

Bubbles peeked around the corner and was surprised to find a young man who was definitely around her age. His ear-length blonde hair was stylishly messy and his skin was sun-kissed as if he spent a lot of time outdoors. His tight blue T-shirt clung to his slender frame and showed off the slight muscle he possessed. He looked around the shop, his gaze sweeping over everything carefully, and Bubbles noticed a heavy-looking backpack slung over his left shoulder. She couldn't see any weapons on him but she knew that didn't mean anything; he probably had a gun or a knife somewhere on him and even though he didn't _look_ like he had bad intentions, she didn't know him so she didn't trust him.

"Hello?" His voice was hushed this time. Bubbles watched as he circled a few of the aisles wearing a curious expression. Each time he moved, she crept closer to the register. Once she managed to get behind the counter, she was barely able to duck down again before he spotted her.

"Please, I don't mean you any harm, I just want to talk."

Bubbles remained where she was and hoped he would take a hint and go away She'd endured enough zombie movies, games, and stories to know that not every human survivor had good intentions. He sighed and approached where she was hiding, leaning over the counter and poking the top of her head. Bubbles let out a startled squeak and scrambled to her feet, regarding him warily as she gripped the metal bat and held it as if she was ready to take a swing.

The boy held up both hands in the universal 'I surrender' gesture. "Whoa, relax, I'm not here to hurt you! My name is Boomer and I'm human, like you."

She didn't care what his name was. "How did you know I was in here?"

"Oh, uh," he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry; guess I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that. I saw you walking around and thought you were human, but I wasn't sure so I followed you for a bit. I haven't come across any other survivors so when I saw you and I realized you weren't like those freaks that took over the city, I kinda got excited and wanted to talk to you."

Bubbles chewed her lip anxiously, her grip on the bat relaxing slightly. "Are you part of the rescue team that was sent out?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Rescue team? What are you talking about?"

"One of the evacuation zones sent out a team of men to rescue survivors."

"Oh." Boomer frowned. "No, I'm not. I'm one of the survivors, though, and I can safely say I'd _love_ to be rescued. It sucks not being able to go out much, especially since I used to like going out at night. Now I can't even really go out no matter if it's day _or_ night. Hashtag forever salty."

Bubbles snorted at those last three words and decided he wasn't a threat. She lowered Big Bessie down gently, holding the bat so that it dangled near her leg.

"Where are you from?" she asked, and Boomer brightened, turning to point towards some imaginary house in the distance.

"I'm actually in one of the neighborhoods just outside the city. My brothers and I take turns scavenging for food, which isn't hard, but it gets tricky when we have to go out at night."

This time, she was the one who raised an eyebrow. "It's not safe to go out at night."

"I know, but, well..." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "My brothers and I don't exactly have a great sleep schedule, so we tend to sleep in until, like, two in the afternoon. By the time we're able to drag our lazy butts out of bed, it's getting dark out and we don't exactly have a choice. Old habits die hard, I guess."

"My sister used to be the same way," she remarked, then quickly realized she shouldn't be divulging any sort of information to this stranger. Boomer seemed like a sweet, slightly absentminded person, but it could very well be a front to get her to drop her guard. Years of lectures from Blossom had taught her to never take anyone at face value.

Boomer's eyes widened. "You're with your family, too?"

She nodded even though it couldn't be further than the truth. It was better to have him think she wasn't alone. He smiled.

"Well, that's good! At least you're still with them. My brothers drive me nuts sometimes, but I'd take their company over being by myself any day. I remember a few people who were on their own and they had it rough."

She noticed he spoke in past-tense.

"What happened to them?" She wanted to know.

With a slightly wilted demeanor, Boomer replied, "Some of them tried to go out scavenging or get to the evacuation zones and, well... I never heard from them again. I can only hope they're okay and they made it to wherever they were trying to get to."

"I'm sure they did," Bubbles reassured. "In a situation like this, it's best to stay positive even if things don't look good."

He nodded. "That's the attitude I try to have. What about you, though? I'm surprised you're still in Townsville."

She folded her arms across her chest. "You're one to talk."

Boomer blinked before he laughed. "That's fair. Well, I'll be honest... My brothers and I tried to leave the moment everyone found out people were becoming monsters but we heard that most of the world is overrun with infected, so even if we get out—"

"You'll be facing the same thing, just in unfamiliar territory," Bubbles finished, feeling her gut sink at the news. "So this is an international epidemic."

"'Fraid so."

She let out a tired sigh and leaned against the counter for support. "I was hoping this was all a bad dream or that it would blow over, but it just keeps getting worse. Do you know what caused all of this? Was it a virus?"

The blonde male blew a raspberry, collecting his thoughts. "No one really knows what happened. The only thing that's clear is if you get bitten, you turn into one of them and you lose your mind. Those things are freakishly smart and fast, and they'll attack anything that moves; I heard a few of my neighbors get torn up and it's something that will haunt me until I die... Which, hopefully, won't be anytime soon."

He offered her a sheepish grin and she tried to smile back, but it ended up resembling a grimace.

She wondered how Boomer could hear his neighbors get 'torn up' and not be haunted or changed by it. The mass grave in front of City Hall was burned into her memory and she fully expected to have nightmares centered around the horrific scene for years to come, if she survived that long, anyway. Bubbles liked to think she was a cheerful girl, but after seeing all of those bodies and the blood... She wasn't sure how much longer she could remain optimistic.

"Did you see City Hall?" she asked softly, and Boomer's expression darkened.

"Unfortunately, yeah. It's one of the reasons why my brothers and I try not to come into the city if we don't have to. Better to play it safe and stay in the neighborhood than become an addition to that horror scene."

"When did it happen?"

He furrowed his eyebrows. "The massacre at City Hall? I know when shit hit the fan, a lot of the infected began attacking people at City Hall and further downtown. When this all started, there weren't that many bodies lining the streets like there are now, but then once those sickos took over, I think that's when they, uh... You know... Did what they did."

Her eyes widened. "There are _more_ bodies?"

"Yeah... FYI, don't go into Bonsai Gardens; City Hall is _nothing_ compared to what they did there." He shuddered.

A violent shiver rippled through Bubbles even though it was at least eighty-five degrees outside. A flash of concern flickered across the blonde male's face but he didn't say anything more, probably regretting telling her such upsetting news.

Boomer was an odd guy, but Bubbles decided he wasn't necessarily _bad,_ just unusual. He didn't give her the creeps or give off any sort of bad vibes, so... Did that mean she could she trust him?

Whether she could or not, Bubbles could see the store was becoming darker and darker. The more time they spent here, the less safe they were, and Bubbles refused to become a part of the mayor's body-ridden lawn.

"Maybe we should talk somewhere else," she suggested, nodding towards the outside. Boomer looked behind himself and cursed under his breath.

"You're right. Hey, let's head back to the outskirts; it's probably better we walk together anyway since those things don't like it when people are in groups."

She decided that wasn't a terrible idea; she needed to return to the outskirts, anyway, but his words surprised Bubbles. "They don't?"

"Nope." He backed up to let her go first and they took care not to step on any broken glass as they exited the store. "My brothers, Brick and Butch, went out one night to get some first-aid supplies since my dad accidentally cut himself while gardening. They ran into one and it clearly wanted to attack them, but I think it realized it was outnumbered and it took off. Butch is a big dude, too, so I think that also worked in their favor."

Bubbles readjusted her backpack straps before they began the journey towards Boomer's neighborhood. It was slightly comforting to have him with her; Bubbles was a small, thin girl of one-hundred and eight pounds. If anything wanted to mess with her, it wouldn't be difficult to take her down. With Boomer at her side, however, she felt safer; what one person couldn't hear, the other might, and she knew that even though they were still technically strangers, they were both trying to survive in this hostile world. If one of the infected decided to pick a fight, two was better against one, especially if these things were as nasty as Boomer said they were.

As they walked, the sun began to dip further below the horizon and they both kept an ear out for anything that might indicate nearby infected. It didn't take long to reach Boomer's house, a dome-shaped structure with lots of windows that were covered from the inside. A large telescope sat at the top of the house and the lens almost looked like an eye... Or perhaps that was just Bubbles' imagination. She smiled, reminded of the telescope her father kept in their backyard shed.

"Is someone in your family a scientist?"

Boomer followed her gaze before he chuckled.

"Yeah, my dad is. Ever hear of a guy named Dr. M. Jojo?"

The name immediately rung a bell. Dr. M. Jojo was a renowned scientist that had enough brains and skill to rival that of her father's. Professor Utonium had met him several times during the frequent business trips to different conventions around the nation and sometimes, with the way the Professor spoke about him and always tried to remain a step ahead of the fellow scientist, Bubbles wondered if they truly _were_ rivals.

"I have," she replied, then smiled shyly. "Ever hear of Professor Utonium?"

Boomer's eyes lit up. "Dude, don't tell me your dad is _the_ Professor Utonium?"

At her nod, he immediately gushed, "That's so awesome! Oh man, I think Mojo would flip if he knew I was talking to his biggest competitor's daughter."

She cocked her head to the side inquisitively. "Mojo?"

"Dr. Jojo's first name is Mojo," Boomer explained. "We don't call him 'Dad,' we just call him by his first name."

Bubbles immediately nodded her understanding. "My sisters and I call our dad 'Professor' and once we hit college, it felt funny calling our teachers that."

"Let me guess, it's like accidentally calling your teacher 'mom' or 'dad'?"

She giggled. "Exactly."

For the next few seconds, they regarded each other kindly, both pleased to have found a kindred spirit in this otherwise empty world. Bubbles began thinking that if the circumstances were different, she might view Boomer as a potential boyfriend. A few lightning bugs blinked in and out of the creeping darkness, officially indicating night time had arrived, and they both realized their time together had come to an end. It was time for Bubbles to leave.

Or so Boomer thought.

"Hey, I was thinking," he began, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Why don't you and your family come stay with us?"

Bubbles' eyes widened at his offer. "What?"

"It might be safer, you know?" he reasoned. "Like I said earlier, those things don't like large groups of people so if we combined our groups, maybe it would make things easier on us. My brothers can be a pain in the ass, but I'm sure they'd be cool with the idea and we have more than enough room to accommodate you guys."

She blushed and stared at her feet. "That's sweet of you to offer and I appreciate it, but we're okay. My dad is super protective over me and my sisters and I don't think he would like the idea of us moving in with a bunch of guys we don't know too well. Sorry."

Boomer deflated slightly at that, but nodded. "I understand. At least let me walk you home, then."

"Um, th-that's okay," she murmured. While he may be sweet and they may be getting along, it was better that she keep certain pieces of information to herself until she was positive she could fully trust him. "I don't live too far away so I should be fine."

"Are you sure? It may not be far but still, you never know what's out there these days."

She smiled weakly. "Thank you, but I'll be alright. It was nice meeting you, Boomer."

Before she could turn to head back home, he grabbed her hand.

"W-wait!"

She looked back at him expectantly and he let go of her to rub the back of his neck nervously. It seemed to be a habit of his and Bubbles found it to be sort of endearing.

"Can I see you again?" Then, as if realizing his words sounded like an innuendo of some sort, his face grew red and he immediately backtracked. "Wait, I don't mean it like _that_! Not that you aren't pretty or anything, you're gorgeous, I just mean that, well, you're nice and I don't know of any other survivors, and maybe if you wanted to hang out sometime? Not as a date or anything, just hanging out." At the end of his rant, a sheepish expression overtook his features and Bubbles giggled.

 _He's such a goober._

"Sure."

Boomer perked up. "Really? Okay, great! I'm sorry for the constant rambling, by the way; I've never been good at talking to people and sometimes my mouth runs faster than my brain can keep up. My brothers say I have a bad case of word-vomit and, well, they're not wrong."

"No need to apologize," Bubbles assured him. Then, after hesitating, "I think it's cute."

He blushed before holding out a hand.

"Friends?"

She knew if Blossom was here, she would advise against a friendship with someone in this new, dangerous world, and Buttercup would probably throttle her for being so stupid, but Boomer didn't seem like a bad guy. A little absent-minded and odd, sure, but he didn't give her bad vibes. Besides, Bubbles was all by herself and was sick of being stuck inside her own head. Blossom _did_ say that someone was coming to pick her up, but that was a week ago when it should have only taken one or two days to reach her. It was likely that something happened to the rescuers and part of her felt guilty; if she hadn't been sick, she would have been able to go to school, the Professor would be home... She and her family would have been able to regroup without worry of leaving anyone behind and they would all be together at the evacuation zone right now, no need for anyone to come rescue her.

But another part of her was slowly coming to accept that she might never get to see her family again. It was possible that she would never again get to hug them or quibble with them or tell them that she loved them. It was an unpleasant thought to consider, but Bubbles couldn't deny the possibility that she or her family might perish before they were able to reunite. She would still hold out hope of seeing them again and she would stay at the house until the rescue team arrived, but for now, maybe forging a friendship wasn't such a bad idea. There was strength in numbers and maybe she and Boomer could look out for each other while surviving in this hellish world.

Finally, after mulling it over for a few minutes more, Bubbles shook his hand and she beamed.

"Friends."


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you again for the faves and follows! And thank you ROCuevas for your reviews! :D**

* * *

 **.: 5 :.**

Bubbles lay awake and listened to the sounds of the night. She blinked up at the darkness that seemed to stretch around her infinitely and sighed softly.

She was slowly beginning to conquer her fear of the dark now that she had no choice but to face it. To be fair, darkness didn't kill people and rip them to pieces; anything could sneak up on you and scare you when you weren't able to see two feet in front of you, but darkness itself didn't do anyone any harm. It was just a nuisance, nothing to be feared, and Bubbles was coming to understand that.

She still found it difficult to fall asleep. Even though she'd become accustomed to sleeping without a fan these past few nights, she missed the soothing white noise it provided and the coolness it offered. A heat wave was on its way, if the building humidity and rising temperatures were anything to go by, and tonight it was too hot to sleep with anything heavier than a sheet on. Without power, she couldn't turn on the air conditioner in the living room or turn on _anything_ , for that matter; the only thing she had was running water and even then, it was _freezing_. Bubbles wanted to kick herself for all those times she took electricity for granted.

But even if the power had stayed on, she wouldn't be able to turn the air conditioner on anyway. The old thing made enough of a ruckus to rival the hustle and bustle of the city and the last thing Bubbles needed was to turn on the AC and have one of the infected discover her.

So she stared up at the ceiling and let her thoughts wander, though tonight they were revolving around the blonde young man she met earlier.

He was an unusual person. Bubbles didn't know how he could stay perky while she was slowly losing her usual happy-go-lucky attitude in favor of stony pessimism. She could respect that he refused to let anything bring him down, but at what point would he realize how serious their situation was? How was he able to be lighthearted when there were dead bodies decorating Townsville? It was bizarre and she didn't know how to feel about that. She found herself wondering if he was secretly a psychopath who relished in the city's deterioration but quickly shook the thought away, reason winning out over caution.

Boomer didn't seem to possess any sort of evilness... Plus, she sensed he was usually absentminded; psychopaths were good at holding their tongue, a skill the boy did not possess, and they had a knack for saying all the right things to get people to lower their guard. Boomer spoke without thinking and probably accidentally offended a lot of people by doing so. His mouth truly _did_ run faster than his mind and if he had any secrets, Bubbles had a hunch they would come spilling out whether he wanted them to or not. Maybe he was just awkward and she didn't have to be so cautious of him, especially not when he was trying to offer his home and his help to her.

Before she had returned home, he actually asked if they could meet up tomorrow to go scavenging together. He said something about picking up more water and Bubbles offered him a few of the bottles stored safely in her backpack, but he politely declined and said he didn't want to take away from her stash. After going back and forth about this for a few minutes, they decided that tomorrow afternoon, they would meet up at the stop sign where their neighborhoods intersected. It was just far enough from Bubbles' house that Boomer wouldn't know where she lived, only that she lived in that general area. From there, they would figure out where they could search for supplies and enjoy each other's company.

The blonde shifted onto her side and closed her eyes. When she replayed their meeting and different conversations, she was slightly ashamed of how cold and aloof she initially was towards him. Bubbles didn't have a mean bone in her body, yet this world was bringing out the absolute worst in her. Paranoia, fear, apprehension... Who was she now? Where was that sweet, innocent girl who was as bright and bubbly as her namesake? How was it that only a week had passed and yet she felt alienated from her old self?

She knew it was smart to be cautious of a stranger, especially in this type of situation, but she really didn't like the person she was becoming and she wasn't sure how to change it. She could only hope this new attitude was temporary.

* * *

To say that Bubbles felt nervous about meeting Boomer was an understatement. The entire morning, her stomach was in knots and she was barely able to eat or drink anything. It would be a waste of food if she ate only to throw it back up, so she skipped breakfast and merely grabbed two decent-sized can of pear slices, two water bottles, and figured that she and Boomer could have the pears for lunch.

She would have liked to say she was nervous because Boomer was cute, but her anxiety stemmed from wariness. She hated that she couldn't stop questioning everything and everyone she encountered, even though Boomer was the only person she'd seen after the world basically ended. She used to be friendly and open; she was the picture of 'sugar' in the old adage 'sugar, spice, and everything nice', but now... Bubbles' nerves were so frayed and she didn't know what more to expect from her environment. This new side of herself was so hardened and stoic that 'sugar' was the last word she'd use to describe her personality.

She felt so much older than nineteen. After seeing the horror at City Hall and the countless bloodstains all over the city, she had grown up a lot over the past few days. Before, Bubbles had been excited to go out into the world; now she dreaded it.

But she figured that if Boomer was willing to be friendly, she would be, too. After all, they both had the same goal: stay alive without getting infected.

Bubbles had her phone with her but refrained from checking it as often as she had before. Without electricity she had no way to charge it, so she tried not to use it if she didn't have to. She had about seventy percent battery life left and wanted to make it count.

As she rounded the corner and the stop sign came into view, she immediately spotted Boomer sitting Indian-style next to it. His elbow was resting on his knee and he leaned his chin into the palm of his hand, baby-blue eyes studying the flower garden of a nearby house when he heard Bubbles' soft footsteps.

"Oh hey, you actually came!" Boomer chirped, immediately jumping to his feet.

Bubbles smiled. "Of course. We agreed: noon at the stop sign."

"Right!" He clasped his hands together and looked around. "I figured we could do some scavenging and maybe, sort of... Get to know each other while we're at it?"

One of his signature sheepish grins graced his lips and she giggled.

"That sounds good. Did you have anywhere specific in mind?"

Boomer shook his head. "We could walk around first...?"

"What about getting supplies?"

"Oh, um... Well... Maybe one of those shops in the city?"

She blinked. "Most of the infected are _in_ the city, though."

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Right, right... Sorry, I guess I didn't think this through. I just wanted to hang out with you, honestly; it's been so long since I've been able to talk to anyone other than my brothers and I think my mouth ran faster than my brain again. Not that I don't want to hang out with you! I totally do, it's just that, well, I haven't lived in Townsville that long and I don't know the area _all_ that well and... Sorry, I'm rambling again."

Bubbles sighed, but she wasn't the least bit annoyed; if anything, she found it cute that Boomer didn't actually have a plan for their day together. He'd just been looking for an excuse to hang out with her and she was flattered that he liked her company enough to invite her out... Even though these weren't exactly ideal circumstances for a day out on the city.

"How about we take a walk to Pokey Oaks?" she suggested. "It's not far from here and it's on the way to Malph's so if we decide to pick up more supplies, it'll be right down the road."

Boomer nodded enthusiastically. "Good idea."

As they made their way down the path that would lead them out of the neighborhood and closer to Pokey Oaks Kindergarten, Bubbles was glad that she'd worn a tank top and shorts. The humidity was really beginning to build and although it was a clear day, it was sweltering out.

"You mentioned yesterday that you haven't lived here long," Bubbles commented, deciding not to focus on the blistering heat. "Where did you live before Townsville?"

"I've lived in Citysville my whole life," he replied, kicking at a stray rock. "But a few months ago, Mojo got a huge raise where he works and decided he was sick of the city life. Townsville is still a city, but it's a lot nicer here."

Bubbles was inclined to agree. She and her sisters accompanied the Professor to Citysville for a few conventions and they hated every second they had to spend there. It was great to see the Professor win all kinds of awards and see him happy among his fellow scientists, but a majority of Citysville's residents were cruel and rude. Townsville had its ups and downs, but its citizens were known for their immeasurable kindness and generosity. Bubbles couldn't imagine living anywhere else and thought it was one-hundred times better than smelly, smog-ridden Citysville.

"Do you ever miss it there?"

He chuckled humorlessly. "Not really. I didn't have too many friends there, plus I left behind an ex-girlfriend who was intent on making my life hell after we broke up. Butch got into lots of trouble while he lived there and Brick was very close to falling into the wrong crowd, too, so moving to Townsville was a much-needed fresh start for all of us. Good riddance, honestly."

"Why'd you break up?" she blurted without thinking, then immediately apologized for the rude question. Boomer smiled.

"It's okay, it was actually a long time ago so it doesn't bother me to talk about it now. We broke up because we just didn't click; she was all about money and material stuff, and I... Well, I don't know. Mojo always made sure we had everything we needed and he never skimped out on Christmas or birthday gifts, we always had a decent allowance and whatnot, but I don't really care about having a big-shot car or a mansion, you know? She came from big money, though, and so she was used to being treated like a princess. That was actually her name, too: Princess Morbucks.

"Anyway, she wasn't too nice to me or my family, and one day I decided I didn't want to be with her anymore. I tried to be nice about it but she twisted everything around on me, told everyone I treated her like crap, that I constantly cheated on her, the whole shebang. I wouldn't have cared but because she has a lot of money, everyone in the city believed what she said about me and I couldn't get a job anywhere. I couldn't really walk anywhere without people harassing me, calling me a cheater among other, ah, lovely names. You can probably imagine how happy I was when Mojo said he was thinking of moving out of there."

Bubbles chewed her lip thoughtfully. She could have sworn she remembered a girl named Princess Morbucks in her kindergarten class, but all her memories of elementary school were a blur of school trips and playing with the neighborhood kids. She chalked up the familiarity of the name to coincidence.

"I'm sorry things didn't work out," she murmured. "Did things at least get better when you moved here?"

His eyes lit up. "Definitely. I sorta wish I grew up here instead of Citysville. Everyone here is so much nicer; when we first moved in, our neighbors brought over all kinds of food and home-warming gifts to help us feel more welcome. Brick was shocked when he opened the door and saw an old lady holding a pie instead of a thug holding a steel pipe."

Bubbles' eyes widened and Boomer nodded. "Yeah, we actually had that happen a few times back at the ol' apartment. Remember how I said Butch and Brick were going down a bad path? We had a few rather intimidating guests pop up a few times so, uh... Let's just say it was _really_ good timing for Mojo to get that raise."

They continued walking in silence, having reached Pokey Oaks. The small building didn't mean much to Boomer but for Bubbles, it was a childhood landmark that brought back plenty of good memories. It looked just as deserted as the rest of Townsville and to see the classroom so empty, so dead instead of the usual liveliness it usually contained... It was upsetting.

Boomer seemed to sense her change of mood. "Is this your old school?"

"Yeah." She exhaled through her nose. "Lots of memories here."

He remained quiet and Bubbles soon shook the sad feeling off, instead focusing on their original plan to find more supplies.

"Do you feel like going to Malph's?" she asked, turning to him. "I scored a bunch of food and water there yesterday."

"Sure! Lead the way."

They continued their walk, both enjoying the sound of birds chirping happily around them. Boomer appeared to be content but Bubbles watched their surroundings warily, keeping an eye and ear out for anything unusual. Her male counterpart picked up on this.

"Everything will be fine," he reassured. "Remember, those things don't like large groups."

She smiled weakly. "I doubt the infected would be intimidated by two people."

"Two is a bigger number than one. They're probably crapping their pants at the sight of us together."

She cracked up and he grinned, pleased that he could make her laugh.

"So, hey, how long have you lived in Townsville?" he asked, after she was able to regain her composure.

"My whole life," she replied.

"So you know your way around the city?"

"Pretty much." She smiled. "I can tell you where the best food is, where the best tourist spots are, and I can show you where the arcade is."

"No way... Townsville has an _arcade_? Are you kidding?" At the shake of her head, he groaned.

"Damn it... Figures that when I finally learn this place has an arcade, the world ends. And to think I have so many quarters begging to be spent on old game machines..."

He pretended to wipe a tear from his eye and Bubbles giggled.

"A few days ago I would have offered to take you, but I hadn't met you yet plus the power finally went out."

"I know." Boomer made a face. "It's always so eerie when the power goes out. It's like, you could be in a deep sleep and all of a sudden you hear that 'click' of the electric going out, and then everything is just... _Quiet_. I hate when that happens."

Bubbles nodded in understanding. When the power went out a few days ago, she had been in a deep sleep herself, yet even while unconscious, her body immediately picked up on the sudden change in her environment. That was not a fun night; she'd kept a flashlight on until dawn broke, her fear of the dark preventing her from going back to sleep until the safety of morning finally arrived.

They reached Malph's within fifteen minutes and Bubbles was slightly relieved to find that there were no new bloody splotches adorning the parking lot. Boomer either didn't take notice of the carnage or he just didn't want to acknowledge it; he simply walked around the spots and entered the store, checking it before poking his head around the permanently-open automatic door and giving the girl a thumbs-up.

The store was still relatively untouched save for the food and water Bubbles had pilfered yesterday. Come to think of it, when she was here yesterday, the store had looked untouched even then, the only signs of the epidemic being the broken glass and bloodstains. It made her wonder if other survivors had already been rescued and didn't need to raid stores for food or if there simply _weren't_ any survivors outside of those who made it to the evacuation zones.

Boomer filled his backpack with anything and everything he could find, with Bubbles doing the same thing. She didn't want to go out for food often if she didn't have to, but then again, hanging out with Boomer was nice. It was better than sitting alone at home and letting her thoughts eat away at her sanity. Maybe scavenging was a good excuse to hang out after all.

She was torn from her thoughts when Boomer held up a candy bar and waved it in the air. "Think this would still be good? It's been getting hot out lately."

"I wouldn't risk it," she advised, then held up a box of chocolate wafers. "These are probably in better shape."

"Good thinking." He quickly snatched it from her and sent a wink in her direction. "Dibs on this box, but the rest are fair game."

 _Never a dull moment_ , she mused, but she had to admit, she was happy with this change of pace.

* * *

It was sometime around late afternoon when Bubbles got tired. She wanted to find a bench at one of the bus stops to take a rest but Boomer had another idea in mind.

"Let's climb up to the roof."

They'd left Malph's ages ago and decided to continue walking around the neighborhood area. It was when they came to a yellow house with white window-boxes full of pink flowers and a large oak tree in the yard that he proposed the idea.

"Um... It's two stories up," Bubbles pointed out. "I don't think it's possible to get up there from here."

He snorted. "Pfft, _amateur_. Sit back and watch the master work his magic."

She raised an eyebrow at him but watched as he scaled the nearby oak tree with ease, finding footing without any difficulty whatsoever. As soon as he found a sturdy branch close to the roof, he crawled out onto it and managed to swing himself onto the shingles, landing on his feet with a loud, unceremonious thump. Bubbles immediately panicked and whirled around, checking to make sure nothing had heard them.

"All clear," Boomer stated loudly. The girl wanted to throttle him for carelessly making so much noise; what if there were infected inside that house? He would be stuck up there and Bubbles would have no choice but to fend for herself all the way down here. They would both be easy targets and she glared up at him.

"Have you lost your mind?"

"Never had it to begin with." He grinned. When her glare didn't waver, he added, "In all seriousness, we're safe during the day. Those things only come out at night because they can't handle the sun. Come on up here; the view is excellent."

She frowned, recalling the first infected person she ever encountered. "But Boomer, I saw one of those things out during the daytime."

"Impossible." He stretched his arms into the air before letting out a satisfied sigh. "Trust me, Bubbles, we're safe. Get your butt up here or I'm demoting you to noob status."

Choosing to ignore that last remark, whatever it was supposed to mean, she took one last wary glance around before approaching the tree. She tried to climb up but it was hard to find good footing; how the hell did Boomer get up there within seconds when it took her forever just to find a place to start climbing up?

"How the heck am I supposed to do this?" she asked, yelping when her foot slipped. Bubbles just managed to regain her footing when a bird suddenly took off above her. She let out a surprised squeal and accidentally let go, falling hard and flat on her back. The wind was instantly knocked out of her lungs and she decided the ground was a much nicer place to spend her afternoon. Boomer peeked over the side of the roof.

"Are you okay?"

"Never better," she wheezed, fighting to catch her breath. He disappeared from the edge before shimmying back down the tree.

"Here, I'll help you," he offered, extending a hand to her. Bubbles hesitated before taking it, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

"You make it look so easy," she murmured. He chuckled at the embarrassed bush that tinted her cheeks.

"Years of experience, girl. I gained my fair share of bruises and scars learning how to climb trees; not everyone will get it perfect their first try. Here, I'll crouch down and you use my shoulders to boost yourself up. If you fall down again, I'll catch you so you don't hurt your back. The last thing you need right now is a back injury and something tells me the infected won't be able to recommend any good chiropractors."

Sometimes it astounded her how Boomer could joke around about the infected as if they were just another everyday nuisance instead of an apocalyptic monster. She wished she could regard the world around her with humor like he did, but she was already becoming jaded and weary.

Bubbles chewed her lip anxiously. "But what if I fall again and one of the infected hears us and finds us?"

"I told you, they don't like the sun. We can throw our own version of Mardi Gras out here and they won't bother us."

"Boomer, I _saw_ one in the city the other _day_ ," she argued. "If one is able to go out during the day, don't you think there will be others?"

He frowned. "But that's impossible; when the infection first spread, the sunlight literally set them on fire. There's no way."

"I'm telling you, I saw it with my own eyes."

He considered her words before sadness crept into his eyes and he shrugged.

"Then I guess if they do find us, it'll be the end of the road for us, but if we have to go down, we go down fighting." That wasn't exactly a comforting answer but Boomer had a certain way about him that was comforting in itself. Today could very-well be their last on this earth and she could die out here, never getting to reunite with her family like she prayed she would.

But honestly, dying alongside a sweet guy who tried to stay positive wasn't exactly the _worst_ way to go, not that she wanted to die, but still.

"I believe you, y'know," he relented. "About the infected getting up during the day. I'll try to be quieter from now on, just in case."

She released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "Thank you. And, um... Sorry for being so flighty."

Boomer reached out and ruffled her hair, and Bubbles let out a cry of protest. "No need to apologize, this is why we're a great team. You keep your wits about you and I make the witty jokes. It's good to be careful, but it's my job as your friend to make sure you don't forget how to laugh and have fun every once in a while. Come on, I'll teach you how to climb a tree. Who knows? Might be a handy skill to have these days."

He led her back to the tree and planted his feet firmly on the ground, locking his fingers together in front of him. Bubbles hesitated.

"I've got you," he reassured. "Just give it a try."

She placed a steady hand on his shoulder and stepped onto his hand. Boomer boosted her up and she managed to get back up to the spot where she fell from.

"Keep to your right," he instructed. "Those branches are sturdier."

She did so and managed to climb up with much more ease than her first try. Sure enough, she found the branch Boomer used to swing down onto the roof and copied his earlier movement, though she landed with much less grace and nearly scraped her knees. She jumped when he joined her, almost falling on top of her but catching himself at the last minute.

"Sorry about the rough landing." He pushed himself back up into a standing position and dusted his jeans off. "If it's any consolation, have a look."

He gestured behind her and Bubbles turned to see a gorgeous view of Townsville. The sun reflected off of the skyscrapers and filled the city with a golden glow. Splashes of orange, yellow, and even pink streaked across the sky with a few clouds lazily floating by, and the entire scene was enough to lift her spirits, even if only for a little while.

Her blonde counterpart plopped down next to her and dangled his legs over the edge of the roof, swinging them to and fro like a child would. The summer sun made him look like a Californian model, his eyes an ocean against the sandy color of his skin. He looked healthy and happy and in that moment, Bubbles felt like a normal person again. They weren't two survivors trying to live to see another day in a hostile world; they were just two people trying to see if they connected. It was nice to pretend that everything was fine even if this play-pretend hour was doomed to end as soon as the sun disappeared.

"So," he began. "Tell me about your life."

She hesitated. "What do you want to know?"

"Anything! Family, funny stories, favorite color... Anything you feel like talking about."

Bubbles considered his words and tried to think. What _did_ she feel like telling him?

"Well, you know that I live with my dad," she allowed, and he nodded for her to continue. "I have two sisters who are both older than me: Blossom is the oldest and Buttercup is the middle child. I'm the youngest and sometimes everyone treats me like a baby because of it, but for the most part, our family gets along pretty well.

"My sisters and I are triplets but we don't look anything alike. It's weird, really; Buttercup is the one who looks the most like our dad since they have the same hair color. Even though we don't look alike, the Professor swears we're his and he didn't adopt, and we used to wonder if he was lying since Blossom and I don't look much like him, but it doesn't matter to us anymore. We don't know anything about our mother or what _she_ looked like, but I think she passed away during childbirth. The Professor always gets really upset anytime we try to ask him about her, so we just stopped asking.

"My favorite color is blue and I used to go to Townsville Community College before, well... Before the city was overrun. I wanted to to go Citysville University since Blossom goes there and she constantly goes on about how she loves it there, but I couldn't. TCC isn't bad, though; the people are friendlier there."

"Wait, why couldn't you go to Citysville?"

She sighed. "I wanted to major in art but they rejected my portfolio and sent back a letter that basically said 'your art sucks.'"

Boomer winced. "Ouch."

"Yeah." Bubbles looked down at the street below and admired the way the afternoon sun cast a nostalgic glow over the neighborhood. It reminded her of all those lazy summer days spent with her sisters while the Professor was working in his lab. "But what about you? What did you do before all of this stuff happened?"

Boomer blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, well... I didn't do much of anything. See, I'm kind of the slacker in our family, at least that's what Mojo calls me. Brick is the smart one who gets straight-A's at Citysville and Butch is the meathead who makes a lot of money cage fighting. I'm not a fighter and I'm not book-smart so before all this, I didn't really know what to do with myself."

"You said you liked going out at night," Bubbles recalled aloud. "Did you like to go out and party? Buttercup loved partying before she got serious about picking a major."

He chuckled. "Sometimes I liked going out to the club, but it was mostly because I worked at a pizzeria as a delivery boy. I was already used to staying up late so on my days off, when everything else was closed and the club was still jumping, I figured 'why not?' and went a few times. It wasn't the greatest job in the world and I usually worked so late that I didn't have much time for anything, but it was a paycheck, you know? And I know pizza delivery isn't exactly a profession that most people jump out of their seats about, but, well.."

"Hey, without pizza delivery men, Friday night gaming wouldn't be the same," she pointed out, and he nodded, brightening.

"That's true! Do you like playing video games?"

Bubbles nodded. "I'm mostly into games like the Sims and some Nintendo stuff but Buttercup always brought home zombie games. I didn't like those kinds of games before, but I think they're starting to pay off."

"You mean horror survival?" His eyes lit up with amusement. "So you know all about surviving in a zombie apocalypse. I'll keep that in mind in case I ever need your expertise!"

The blonde giggled at his words. "I don't think that would work; the infected folks of Townsville aren't quite zombies."

"Same scenario, though!"

"...Touché ."

Boomer's gaze lifted to the endless array of colors above them and continued to swing his feet to and fro, appearing perfectly content. He was a bright light in a world full of darkness and Bubbles found herself thinking that she was glad to have met him.

"Other than me being a delivery boy... You already know my dad is the legendary Dr. Jojo," he continued, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "My favorite color is blue, too, and I must have a dozen blue shirts at home. Hmm... Oh, speaking of dads, I actually have _two_ dads. A lot of people don't know that about me."

"Really?" She tilted her head to the side and he nodded.

"Well, I _had_ two dads, I should say," he amended. "They divorced when we were little. I don't remember why they separated but Brick would probably know more about that than me or Butch. Anyway, we _did_ live with our other dad for a few years after the divorce but after Mojo gained full custody, we didn't get to see him that much and eventually we stopped seeing him altogether."

Bubbles' expression fell. "Oh... I'm sorry."

"It's whatever. Besides, if memory serves correctly, he wasn't a great dad anyway. We don't even refer to him as 'Dad' or 'Mom,' we just call him ' _Him_ ' since he stopped calling, stopped sending birthday cards, and walked away without a second thought." He flashed her a wink. "It's okay, though. Mojo can be a hard-ass when he wants to be, but at least he's got an indoor pool and a plasma-screen TV. Pros and cons, my friend."

A warm fuzzy feeling flooded her chest at the word 'friend.' _I_ _made a_ _friend_. Boomer had referred to himself as her friend earlier but she had been so focused on getting up the tree that it didn't quite register in her mind.

In this terrible situation, Bubbles was not all by herself; she had someone to talk to and laugh with and _wasn't completely alone_. It was a welcome realization.

"Is Mojo a good dad?" she asked meekly, and Boomer nodded.

"I get on his nerves a lot, but he does his best for a single dad of three. What about the Professor?"

The mention of her own father sent a pang of longing through her heart. She missed her family, but Boomer had been open with her about his; she owed him the same honesty.

"He's the best dad I know." That was the God-given truth. "He's always busy but he tries, you know? Even though he's a famous scientist and he's constantly being pulled in all directions by his job, he's never missed any of Buttercup's games or Blossom's spelling bee competitions. In my freshman year of high school, I made the cheerleading squad and I was so nervous for the first game I was going to cheer in."

The memory made her smile. "Professor actually ordered custom T-shirts that said 'Go Bubbles!' and they each had a little cartoon doodle of a cheerleader with pigtails on them. He made my sisters wear them and even though I was nervous that day, it was the best feeling in the world to see my whole family on the bleachers wearing those shirts and cheering their hearts out for me. My dad is the best guy I know and he's always there if we need him."

When she realized Boomer was staring at her, she backtracked. "Sorry, I didn't mean to go on for so long."

"No, no!" He snorted. "Honestly, you're talking to the king of 'going on for so long.' I'm glad you guys have a good father. My brothers and I met him maybe once at one of those big-shot science conventions that Mojo used to drag us to. Brick loved it since he's a huge nerd and all, but Butch and I don't really care about that stuff. Anyway, the one time we _did_ get to meet Professor Utonium, he seemed like a cool guy."

"He is." Bubbles laughed. "Actually, maybe 'cool' isn't the right word for him. Corny might suit him better."

"Aren't all dads corny, though?"

"True."

"Come to think of it," Boomer tapped his chin again. "My dad can be uptight, but he's actually a big dork. When we were little and we didn't want to wake up on time for school, Mojo would put on this ridiculous monkey mask and jump on our beds, making monkey noises until we were forced to get up. One time, I think Brick asked him why he put on the mask when he could just threaten us with no TV and he made this dumb joke. God, how did it go again?"

He tried to think for a few minutes, eyes lighting up with mirth when he remembered. "Oh, yeah! Brick was all like, 'Mojo, why do you wear that stupid mask?' and Mojo said, 'Because, it makes you guys laugh and gets you out of bed.' So Brick said, 'But other dads just threaten to take away TV and video games.'"

The blonde burst into chuckles and Bubbles couldn't help but grin as well.

"Without missing a beat, Mojo puts on the monkey mask and says, 'Son, I would never take away your TV time for such a stupid reason. That's just _bananas_.'"

They both erupted into giggles at the terrible pun. When Bubbles regained her composure, she sighed.

"That's _terrible_ , Boomer."

"You're telling me! I had to put up with twenty years of bad puns and dad jokes."

"Wait, you're twenty?"

He nodded. "I just turned twenty last month. What about you?"

She gave him a knowing look. Most people thought she was much younger than nineteen and felt the need to inform her of this despite her insistence that she was an adult.

"How old do you think I am?"

Boomer leaned in close to examine her face and her cheeks warmed at the boy's close proximity. It was then that Bubbles noticed the explosion of freckles that dusted across his cheeks and along the bridge of his nose, a few stray ones dotting his forehead as well. His blue eyes were lit with mischief and good humor; when he pulled away, he pretended to think.

"Judging by the pigtails and the lack of soul-crushing existential dread in your eyes... Sixteen?"

She laughed. "Nope. Try again."

"Fifteen?"

"Older, not younger."

"Seventeen?"

"Getting warmer."

"Eighteen."

"Almost there."

He blinked at her. "Wait, you're _nineteen_?"

 _Here it comes._ She nodded.

"You really don't look it! What's your secret? Did you discover the fountain of youth?" He wiggled his eyebrows and she laughed again.

"I wish. I just have a youthful face, I guess? Everyone says I look fifteen or sixteen; I've even had people on the campus ask me if I was looking for the middle school. For whatever reason, I guess they thought I looked like a middle school student."

"Oh man, that has to be annoying after a while."

Bubbles shrugged. "You get used to it. It's not really a bad thing but... Well, actually, yeah, it _can_ be annoying sometimes depending on how people react. I had an old lady pinch my cheeks once and tell me I was the most adorable little girl she'd ever seen. I was seventeen at the time."

"Yikes."

"Yeah."

"Well, you might have a young face, but for what it's worth..." He blushed. "You're really pretty."

Bubbles' cheeks grew warm. "Th-thanks. You're, uh.. Not too shabby yourself."

Boomer pretended to gush, hands cupping his face while he pursed his lips. "Aww shucks, she thinks I'm pretty!"

She laughed and smacked his arm playfully. "You know what I meant!"

"Yeah, I do." He flashed her one of his rare, real smiles and if her face wasn't red before, she was sure it was now. "Thanks."

A comfortable silence fell over them for a spell, both enjoying the feel of the summer sun baking down on them. The black shingles were not hot, but pleasantly warm, and it wasn't long until they both laid back against the roof. If Bubbles didn't know the infected were stalking around the city, she might think they were just out here trying to get a tan.

A soft growling noise filled the air and Boomer immediately clapped a hand to his stomach, wincing. Bubbles raised an eyebrow and he grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry. I haven't eaten anything since yesterday, hence the reason I wanted to go scavenging."

Bubbles remembered the pears in her backpack and quickly retrieved them, handing Boomer his share, fork and water bottle included.

"I figured it might be nice to stop and eat somewhere," she explained, blushing again, and it was at that moment she realized she really needed to stop getting so flustered around him.

"There you go again with the good ideas," he replied, flipping the tab. "Seriously though, are you sure? I know food is kind of hard to come by these days; I don't want to take any away from you, especially not when you found it fair-and-square. My backpack is literally full of stuff I could eat."

"Of course! I don't mind sharing. Think of it as a token of friendship." She flipped the tab on her own can and opened it, her own stomach growling in anticipation as she peeled the metal lid off. Boomer hesitated before doing the same and held up his can.

"Cheers?"

She giggled and clinked the metal container against his, and they both dug into their makeshift lunch. It was nice, just like a picnic, and Bubbles was glad she thought to bring food for them. It wasn't much but it was something, and they both savored the syrupy-sweet fruit as much as they could until it was gone.

Boomer was the first to speak up after downing half his water bottle.

"Thank you, um..." Then, after pausing, "You know, I don't think you ever told me your name."

Bubbles wanted to say that she _did_ tell him, but realized he was right. She had kept her address and her name a secret, but now that she knew him a little better... She figured they were already friends. Why not?

"My name is Bubbles."

"Bubbles, huh?" The name sounded sweet rolling off his tongue. "That's a cute name. I like it."

"Thank you."

"Mm-hmm. Thanks again for the food; I owe you one."

She waved him off. "Don't worry about it. What are friends for?"

"True, but still! One day I'll make it up to you. Even if I have to brave the dark forces of the city and risk losing a limb, I _will_ find a way to return this act of kindness!"

He posed like a superhero, fists on his hips, but Bubbles couldn't find it in herself to smile. Images of mangled corpses rotting around City Hall flitted through her mind and the pears she had just eaten felt like rocks in her gut.

Boomer noticed the change of mood and stopped posing.

"You okay?"

"How do you do it?"

He blinked. "Do what?"

"Make jokes about this." She motioned towards Townsville.

"Oh." Boomer smiled sadly. "Well, sitting and fretting about it won't change anything."

"But how do you stay happy and peppy when there aren't any reasons to be?"

"There's always a reason to be happy." Boomer rested his hands behind his head and leaned back onto the rough surface of the roof. "For example, you and my brothers and I _haven't_ become human chew toys and we hopefully never will."

"Aren't you afraid?" The question sounded so pitiful that he actually turned to look at her. Boomer's cheerful demeanor gave way to an exhaustion Bubbles didn't think was possible for the blonde.

"Of _course_ I'm afraid," he murmured. "All it takes is one bite and I'm done for, and if my brothers were bitten... I don't think I could handle it. If you want to know the truth, Bubbles, I'm _scared_ of being alone. It's a thought that bothered me before the epidemic and it's only gotten worse now that the world pretty much ended. I don't... I don't think I could continue living if I lost everyone I care about. It was hard enough when I lost—"

He stopped before he could continue and Bubbles' guard immediately went up.

"Lost _who_?"

For the first time since Bubbles met him, Boomer's eyes glimmered with unshed tears and all traces of his usual lightheartedness disappeared. He inhaled sharply and closed his eyes to keep his grief at bay.

"When I lost Mojo."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, slightly bad news.**

 **I got a pretty bad concussion and I can't really be on the computer for long periods of time. I'm getting a little better each day and I will try to keep up with updates (I have this story all mapped out so it's just a matter of sitting down and writing) but if they're a little slow, it's not because I've forgotten or anything. Just trying to get my head back in working order. Sorry in advance for any mistakes!**

 **BTW for all you horror fans... The infected are not just going to stay in the city the whole time. This story _is_ , after all, supposed to be horror at its core. So this story isn't going to be all sunshine and rainbows and friendship bracelets, although Boomer's character offers light in this dark new world Bubbles woke up in.**

 **I hope you guys continue to enjoy! Thank you again for your faves, follows, and reviews! :D**

* * *

 **.: 6 :.**

"But I thought your dad was still alive," she said, feeling slightly regretful for pressing the boy.

He grimaced. "He is. He was bitten the day after everyone was carted off to the evacuation zones and I'm pretty sure he's out running the streets like the other people who were infected. In a sense... He still is, just not the way he used to be."

Bubbles was at a loss for what to say. She was kicking herself for bringing up such a touchy subject and felt horrible for upsetting Boomer, her only friend in this bitter world. If Boomer had some skeletons in his closet, she needed to know. She just wanted to protect herself and stay alive long enough to reunite with her family. She cared for him but a bit of wariness never hurt anyone, at least that's what she told herself.

Finally, after an awkward silence befell them, Bubbles looked away. "I'm sorry."

He let out a shuddering sigh. "It's okay, you didn't know."

"It's just that with the way you spoke about your family, I thought—"

"I know." He smiled weakly. "Sometimes I like to pretend he's still back home waiting with my brothers. It's easier to think he's just out at work or scavenging than to face the fact that he's.. um..."

Bubbles didn't know what possessed her to do it, but she pulled Boomer into a hug. He stiffened at first, not used to being embraced, but quickly returned it. The faint scent of vanilla wafted from her hair and suddenly it was his new favorite scent in the whole wide world.

She pulled away after a few minutes with a red face. "Sorry if you don't like hugs. It's just that, I get it, you know? One day I have the flu and my dad says he's heading to the supermarket, the next, I wake up and everyone's gone. I couldn't get in touch with anyone and there weren't any updates on the local news stations, but then I saw that one guy who was infected.. _God_ , Boomer, it's so disturbing when they scream."

He nodded. "Trust me, I know. When my father turned..."

A violent shiver rippled through him and he shook his head, rubbing the goosebumps that were forming on his arms. "Never mind. You don't want to know."

It felt like their day out had been ruined and she felt terrible. "I'm sorry if I killed the mood."

"What?" Boomer quickly placed a hand on her shoulder. "No, you didn't! We had a great day today."

"Until I ruined it." She could practically imagine the dark rain cloud hovering over her own head.

He pinched her cheek and she swatted his hand away. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For being a negative Nelly." He pursed his lips. "We had a great day today. We got to know each other, had a few laughs, ate some fantastic pears... Positives, Bubbles. You gotta focus on the positives."

She lowered her gaze. "How? I used to be all about focusing on the positives but then I saw City Hall, the rescue team didn't come out like Blossom said they would, Buttercup won't call me..."

"Wait a second." Boomer tilted his head to the side curiously. "I thought you guys lived together, why would she need to call you?"

 _Shit_. She hadn't meant to let that little detail slip but she might as well come clean now.

"My family isn't actually staying with me," she confessed. "A few days before the infection spread, my dad left to go to the supermarket and my sisters were both at school. I was home recovering from the flu and when I woke up, everyone was gone. I tried calling them but that's when cell phone service started to crap out, and my sister, Buttercup, managed to call me once and text me a few times but now that the power is out and we lost service completely..."

She shook her head. "I didn't mean to lie to you, but I didn't want you to think I was alone. You've played horror survival games yourself, right? What happens to the people who are alone? They don't last very long, especially not when fellow survivors _know_ they're alone and defenseless. It's nothing personal, Boomer, I was just trying to be careful."

When she finished speaking, she glanced over at the blonde to see him frowning.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because I was _scared_ ," she whispered. "Again, small girl living by herself? That's like hitting the lottery to a sicko who enjoys hurting people. Not that you fall into that category! I don't mean it like that, but I didn't know you, and, well..."

He exhaled through his nose and looked down at his legs, which were no longer swinging to and fro.

"Well, not gonna lie, it kinda hurts that you thought you couldn't trust me," he admitted, and Bubbles' face fell at the words. She wanted to slap herself for unwittingly hurting his feelings, even if she had every right to try to protect herself.

"But I get it, and I'm not upset." He immediately brightened. "In a world like this, you have to put yourself first, especially if you're on your own."

Relief flooded through her. "Thank you for understanding, but... I really am sorry. I never used to be like this."

"It's okay. I never used to be this obnoxious but... Well, I guess we all adapt differently."

"You're not obnoxious," she argued, but Boomer smirked knowingly.

"I know myself, Bubbles. I get on my own nerves at times."

"We could all say that, though."

"True, but my point is, don't worry so much. Whether you're carefree or careful, just be yourself. No judgement here."

Bubbles wanted to hug him again. She was grateful to have found a friend in someone so wonderful, funny, understanding, and sweet, and if the circumstances had been different... She shook that thought away. Boomer was a _friend_ ; nothing more or less. In this world, there was no time for romance or silly little crushes when life could be snuffed out at any given moment.

Yet the more Bubbles thought about it, the more she realized she truly _shouldn't_ worry so much. All those nights of laying awake and listening to every little noise around the house proved to be fruitless. The infected seemed to be sticking to the inner city, not one of them straying to the outskirts, but why? She knew it was probably pointless to wonder why a bunch of people who no longer possessed their humanity would behave a certain way, but it would be foolish not to notice these things. What exactly was drawing them to the city? Surely there were no survivors there...

A tap on her shoulder jolted her out of her mind, looking up to find Boomer watching her curiously.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Sorry." She blushed. "I know it's random, but... Have you ever seen any infected out here?"

"Define 'here.'"

Bubbles motioned around herself. "The neighborhood-slash-outskirts. I was just thinking, isn't it strange that they keep to the city?"

He considered her words before frowning. "It _is_ a little bizarre but I can't say I'm complaining. As long as those things leave us alone, they can have the city as far as I'm concerned."

"Do you think there may be survivors in the city? Maybe that's why they stay there?"

Boomer leaned back against the roof and looked up at the sky thoughtfully. "I doubt it. Anyone who remained in the city is probably either dead or turned. Believe me, ever since the infection hit, my brothers and I have done a lot of exploring, and we know three things so far. One, the infected hate sunlight, except for that one weirdo you were telling me about; two, they hate groups of humans; three, you turn if you get bitten.

"There's no way to kill those things, not without risking death yourself, but we also haven't tried killing any of them so we don't know for sure. They've never tried to attack me or my brothers and we have no idea why, but it's something we use to our advantage. We tried looking for survivors after the army's initial rescue efforts but most of the people that came out here got turned and then infected the survivors."

"When was this?" Slight desperation colored her voice. Boomer smiled sadly.

"It was the day after the infection hit Townsville, so it's not the rescue team that was sent out to find you if that's what you want to know."

She wilted but at least there was still hope that the second rescue team was still out there somewhere. "Oh."

"Butch almost got bitten while we were out one night. It was stupid of us to go into the city when those things were fully active and I don't remember why we even risked it, but that's when we saw what happened in Bonsai Gardens. City Hall, we knew about, but... Well, I guess you could say Bonsai Gardens is the resting place for the first-wave rescue efforts."

Bubbles turned to scold Boomer for making such a disturbing, tasteless joke but one glance at him and she realized there was no humor in his expression. His eyes were slightly narrowed, eyebrows furrowed together as he recalled what he had seen. He hadn't meant it to be a joke, just a solemn observation.

She shifted, deciding it might be best to change the subject. "Why do you think those things aren't attacking you guys? They didn't seem to hesitate with other survivors."

"I don't know. I'd say that maybe we're immune and they sense it, but I really don't feel like testing that theory because if I'm wrong and if anything happened to my brothers..."

He didn't need to finish his sentence. She placed a hand over his and he threw a small smile her way, acknowledging her attempt to comfort him, but neither of them said anything more.

They had gotten so caught up in their conversation that neither of them noticed the skies growing dark. Bubbles felt slight anxiety at the knowledge that night was only an hour away but it was somewhat of a relief to think that the infected would continue to stick to the city. She let out a soft, wistful sigh; if only the power was still on. Then maybe she could look forward to putting the fan on at night and at least pretend things were normal. Too bad anything electrical wasn't even an option.

"Let me walk you home?" At Bubbles' hesitance, Boomer gave her a pointed look. "I promise, I'm not a psycho slasher who's going to stake out your house while you sleep."

"Can I ask you something?" she asked, before she could filter her thoughts. Surprise flickered across his face before he nodded.

"Why do you care so much about me?" Hurt flashed in his eyes and she quickly amended her statement. "What I mean is, you don't know me too well. What if I wasn't a good person? What if I took advantage of your kindness and left you high and dry? I could be dangerous."

He considered her words seriously. "Well. _Are_ you dangerous? _Are_ you planning to leave me high and dry?"

Bubbles' eyes widened. She would _never_ , not even on her worst day, think of hurting another person in any way, shape, or form. It was not in her nature to screw people over or be selfish in any way. The thought of having any sort of negative impact on Boomer was horrifying to her.

"No, of course not!"

"Then I don't see why I shouldn't care about you. You're a _person_ , Bubbles. Just because all those zombie stories feature awful people with awful intentions doesn't mean _everyone_ is like that. You have to be smart and you certainly have to be careful, but not everyone is going to revert back to neanderthals in this kind of situation. And honestly, don't you think it's better that people stick together? It sucks being alone and having to fend for yourself; don't you think it makes it easier to know someone is with you to watch your back?"

"Not everyone is trustworthy," she argued, and he nodded.

"You're right, not everyone is, but I think I'd rather take a chance on someone and have them become a great ally or someone who walks away than to not take any chances whatsoever."

Bubbles hated that he was right. She knew she could stand to be less paranoid and suspicious of ulterior motives, but she couldn't help it.

"And speaking of trust, you said you're alone in that house... Why not stay with us?" he asked. "I promise, cross my heart, hope to _live_ , we're not bad people. Butch can be an ass and Brick's quiet, but we're not out to hurt others. Plus, don't you think it would be safer to stay with other people than be here all by yourself?"

It was a tempting offer even though mentions of his brothers made her a little wary... If Boomer was still pretending that Mojo was alive, who's to say his brothers weren't also part of the infected army in Townsville? Perhaps he was pretending they were back at his house as well as Mojo; perhaps the infection had taken enough of a toll on his mentality that his common sense and perception of reality were skewered.

 _Or_ , Bubbles mused. _Maybe I need to stop over-analyzing before I lose the only friend I have right now._

"I would, but I need to wait there," Bubbles replied. "I don't know when or if the rescue team is coming by, but I told my sisters I'd stay put and I intend to keep my word. We can still hang out together, but I need to continue staying at my house just in case."

Boomer opened his mouth before closing it again, giving a firm nod.

"Okay, I understand. But at least let me walk you home? And at least show me where you live. I've no idea if the infected are smart enough to plan a raid or if they will eventually come into the outskirts, but if they do, it would give me peace-of-mind to know where you're staying. If shit hits the fan, we'll know where you live so we can pick you up and get out of dodge together. Besides, you already know where I live, so it's only fair."

That was valid, she supposed. "Alright."

"Cool." He beamed. "Lead the way, then! I'll protect thee, fine maiden!"

* * *

Getting down the tree was not exactly easy, but Bubbles was pleased to learn she was incrementally better at tree-climbing than before. Once she made it back down safely, Boomer taught her how to spot good places to keep her footing and, as they walked in the direction of her house, she could imagine herself climbing the different trees scattered around the neighborhood. Looking at the thick trunks and low branches, she could see all the best spots to plant her feet and envisioned scaling the rough bark until she made it to the top. It was an exciting new skill to possess and she wished she'd learned how to do it as a child, when tree houses were practically castles in a kid's imagination.

The familiar white modern-themed house came into view before she knew it. Boomer followed her up the driveway, noting the three huge circular windows on the second floor. Bubbles' house was definitely not the norm as far as cookie-cutter homes go (and most of the neighborhoods in Townsville were the definition of cookie-cutter), but it was still lovely and homey in its own right.

When they reached the front door, she retrieved a set of keys from her pocket and unlocked it, gently pushing the door open.

After hesitating for a moment, she turned back to him.

"Would you like to come in for a little bit?"

Boomer didn't miss a beat. "Only if you're comfortable with it. If you're still not sure if you can trust me, I won't be offended."

She supposed someone with bad intentions wouldn't be so understanding or careful to respect her boundaries. After considering his words, she stepped aside and motioned for him to go in first.

"I don't mind. The only thing is, it's dark so I have to find a flashlight."

He peered past her into the darkness that was her living room. They'd had a serious conversation about trust before and, although Boomer knew _himself_ to be trustworthy, Bubbles' words did give him slight pause.

 _"What if I wasn't a good person? What if I took advantage of your kindness and left you high and dry? I could be dangerous."_

"Going off of what we talked about earlier... If you're secretly an axe murderer, now would be a good time to tell me," Boomer half-joked, and Bubbles laughed.

"There are no bodies buried in the backyard," she reassured. "Scout's honor."

"Okay, but if I see one arm poking out from the ground, I'm booking it."

She rolled her eyes but smiled, and they both stepped inside, Boomer closing the door behind them. Bubbles managed to find a flashlight and clicked it on, placing it so that the light bounced off the ceiling and illuminated just enough of the room for them to make out their surroundings.

Once his vision adjusted to the darker setting, Boomer's gaze roamed over every nook and cranny, letting out a low whistle when he caught sight of the wall that held some of the Professor's various awards.

"Wow. Your dad is the best of the best, huh?"

She followed his gaze and blushed.

"Those are his most recent awards," she explained. "A few weeks ago, he attended a con up in Canada and won those."

"Wow... That's pretty far."

"Yeah." She plopped down onto the sofa. "He was gone for two whole weeks. Buttercup wanted to throw a huge party, but Blossom put an end to her plans before they could begin."

"Sounds like something Butch would do," Boomer commented, then, "Um, quick question.. Do you prefer shoes on or off?"

She blinked, his inquiry not making sense until she realized he was hesitant to enter the living room. Was he actually concerned about being polite right now? They had much bigger things to worry about than etiquette.

"I don't mind, you can keep them on if you'd like." On the off-chance an infected person _did_ wander into the outskirts, it wouldn't be in their favor if Boomer had to spend an extra five minutes slipping his shoes back on when they would need to get out of there ASAP.

"Okay, I just wanted to be sure." He relaxed and smiled weakly. "Not everyone appreciates people tracking dirt into their home. Some folks prefer shoes to be left at the door."

"Boomer, there are literally sick people wandering through Townsville killing off whatever they can find, and you're worried about tracking mud into my house."

He pretended to scoff. "Just because those cretins forgot their manners doesn't mean _I_ have to. _Gosh_."

She barely suppressed a chuckle as he joined her on the couch, leaning back against the cushions.

It felt strange to have a guest in her home after being alone for so long. Her house used to be full of shouting, laughter, talking, pots and pans banging in the kitchen as someone cooked, the blare of the television, Buttercup's favorite alternative bands blasting from their bedroom... How odd to think she used to be accustomed to such noise. It was weird to think that after only a short time, she began preferring silence over noisiness. In silence, she could listen.

"Sooo..." Boomer folded his hands in his lap. "You have a really nice house."

"Thank you."

"Have you lived in this house your whole life?"

"Mm-hmm. The Professor has lived here since he graduated from college. It was ten years after that when we were born."

"Oh, okay. Cool."

Pause.

"Hey, you know what? We should have a sleepover!"

Bubbles raised an eyebrow at that. Sometimes the inner workings of his mind were truly unpredictable. "Sleepover?"

"Yeah! You know, I sleep over your house and we have fun for the night!"

She couldn't contain the giggles that burst forth. "That sounds _so_ wrong."

Boomer's eyes widened and he flicked her forehead. "Get your mind out of the gutter, ya pervert! I didn't mean it like that."

"Sure you didn't."

"Okay, okay, _fine_ , wrong choice of wording, but I meant it as innocently as possible," he said, laughing. "Seriously, think about it: we build pillow forts, tell scary stories... Listen for any infected. Don't worry, I'd probably take the couch, or we could set up a little fort here in the living room and stay together. Plus, think about it: you get to hang out with yours truly for an entire evening!"

Bubbles rolled her eyes good-naturedly at the last part. However, she had to admit, it _did_ sound like a good idea especially if the infected decided to poke around where Pokey Oaks was located... And even though the world appeared to be doom-and-gloom, a sleepover _did_ sound kind of practical and fun.

However, before any plans of sleeping over came to fruition, she had to make sure Boomer was truly trustworthy. If he passed this one last test, she would know whether or not she could rely on him.

"Before we do, though, can I meet your brothers?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Orioles1997: Good to see you on here again, old friend! :D Thank you for reading and reviewing, and good luck with your exams!**

 **I figured since I already had this chapter written up, it might be a nice 4th of July surprise. Hope everyone enjoys their holiday! And if you don't celebrate today, I hope you have a wonderful day anyway! :)**

* * *

 **.: 7 :.**

One full day passed before Bubbles saw Boomer again, making her wonder what the blonde was doing.

He'd been ecstatic about her wanting to meet Brick and Butch, even chattering on about how cool they were and how he'd love for them to meet such an awesome girl such as herself. When it began to get dark outside, he had no choice but to head back home, but they agreed that Bubbles would meet his siblings soon.

After a full day of silence—which wasn't completely unwelcome; as much as she was an extrovert, sometimes even she needed to recharge her social batteries—Bubbles began to wonder what kind of mischief her goofy new friend was getting into when he showed up on her doorstep. She had just finished cleaning up for the day and was going to sit down with one of her father's old books when a loud knock sounded at the front door.

She looked through the peephole before undoing the locks, swinging open the door to reveal a chipper, bright-eyed Boomer who was practically bouncing in his shoes.

"Good afternoon, dear friend!" he chirped. "How are you on this beautiful summer day?"

She giggled, happy to see the cheerful blonde again. "I'm good, how about yourself?"

"I'm great! I got to have some Lucky Charms this morning, which was nice, but we had to use water instead of milk, which _wasn't_ so nice, but the marshmallows made up for it."

That explained his extra-hyper attitude today. Bubbles decided to voice her earlier thoughts. "So, what have you been up to lately?"

"Mostly cleaning the house." He shrugged. "Without Mojo constantly reminding us to clean up, we kinda got lazy, but I promise we're not total slobs. Brick kicks our asses into gear if the house gets too messy, plus Butch asked me to bring out the old manual lawn mower yesterday since our front yard was getting a bit too overgrown. It wasn't pretty; I was all sweaty and gross, but our lawn looks a lot better."

"You guys still have one of those manual lawn mowers?" she asked. "I haven't seen one of those in years."

He scratched his head. "To be honest, I don't know why we kept it but I'm glad we did. It's the only way we can keep the grass from getting too high without making a whole bunch of noise. That, and check it out—perks of manual labor!"

Boomer flexed his right arm and kissed his bicep, looking positively ridiculous, and Bubbles laughed.

"I didn't know the gun show was in town."

"The gun show is _always_ in town, Bubbles." He flexed the other arm and wiggled his eyebrows, making her laugh again.

As bright and bubbly as Boomer was, the world didn't look so happy today. Rain clouds blocked the sun, giving the environment a gray, gloomy feel. It didn't help that the air was thick with humidity; it made Bubbles want to brave another cold shower just to shake off the gross, clammy feeling on her skin.

"Looks like a storm is brewing," Bubbles remarked, nodded towards the sky. Boomer followed her gaze and his lips quirked into a frown at the overcast sky above.

"Here's hoping it passes quickly."

She nodded in reply.

"So, hey," he rocked to and fro on his feet, "I was thinking, would you like to meet my brothers today? Unless you have plans to go out, of course, then you could always meet them another time. Totally up to you."

His question caught her slightly off-guard. "Today?"

"Yeah! We're not going out scavenging today so I figured, since they'll be home, it would be the perfect time to get all the introductions out of the way, that way everyone knows everyone."

She _did_ ask him if she could meet his brothers the other day... Perhaps he was right. If everyone was home today, there would be no better time than the present.

"Alright." She nodded. "Just let me grab my phone."

* * *

The closer they got to the dome-shaped house, the more Bubbles felt nervous. What would she do if it turned out that Boomer's siblings actually _weren't_ alive and living with him? If the boy didn't quite have all his mental faculties in working order, how would she handle it? And how would Boomer react once he realized that Bubbles caught onto his potentially-warped grip on reality?

Actually, that brought up more questions: what if Boomer's brothers _were_ real? Would they be as trustworthy as him, or would _they_ be the ones Bubbles had to watch out for? Was she digging her own grave by going to meet them?

"Nervous?"

Bubbles smiled weakly, pushing all of her thoughts away. It would only hurt Boomer if he knew what she was truly thinking. "A little."

"Don't be. My brothers may look mean but they're a bunch of teddy bears. Smelly, weird, boring teddy bears, but teddy bears all the same!"

They headed up the walkway and he unlocked the door, motioning for her to step in first. Bubbles did so and was immediately greeted by the strong scent of antiseptic, her nose wrinkling slightly at the acrid smell.

Boomer noticed. "Sorry if the house smells like a hospital. Mojo volunteered at the ER a lot, so he kind of brought the smell home with him."

The living room was the epitome of modern. The walls were a crisp white with black and royal purple accents, two sofas facing each other with a sharp-looking, oddly-shaped coffee table between them. A few science-themed magazines lay neatly stacked on top of the glass table but what immediately captured Bubbles' attention was that the lights were _on_.

"The power went out a few days ago," she remarked. "How do you guys still have electric?"

"Mojo had solar panels installed the minute he bought the house," Boomer explained. "One of the perks of living in Townsville is the abundance of sun. He figured it would be a great way to save money and be kind to the environment. He was also sick of the rolling blackouts Citysville dealt with, so he installed them as a precaution in case Townsville dealt with those, too."

He led her into the kitchen where two young men that looked slightly older than Boomer sat at the circular kitchen table. The muscular one, whom Bubbles guessed was Butch, had spiky black hair and a thin scar on his right eyebrow. The snakebite piercing and line of silver studs in his cartilage made him look tough; even his expression looked slightly menacing even though he didn't appear agitated in any way. A handheld video game sat in his hands, his fingers mashing the buttons every now and then.

The other one, Brick, had long red hair that was pulled back in a low ponytail, a firetruck-red cap sitting backwards on his head. He looked much less intimidating than Butch but he didn't exactly look like a sunshine-and-rainbows kind of guy. Freckles dotted his face and a single nostril piercing glinted in the light when he shifted in his chair, his attention turning to both blondes. His eyes almost looked red, but Bubbles realized they were just a peculiar shade of brown. He was much less beefy than his dark-haired brother but, like Boomer, he wasn't without muscle.

"Hey, Boomer," he greeted, then nodded towards the girl next to him. "Who's she?"

Boomer beamed at Bubbles and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Guys, this is Bubbles Utonium. She lives in the next neighborhood over."

Both men looked up at the mention of her last name and she gave a shy wave.

"Are you one of Professor Utonium's daughters?"

"I-I am."

Brick didn't smile, but his expression softened.

"Your dad is a good man. It's nice to meet you, Bubbles; my name is Brick and this is Butch. We're Boomer's brothers."

"And the ones who are much cooler than him," Butch added, and Boomer snorted.

"Yeah, you wish."

"We're way cooler and you know it. Just admit it, little bro."

"I'll totally admit you guys are way bigger asshats than I am."

"What did _I_ do?" Brick protested, and Boomer smirked.

"What didn't you do, dude?"

"Idiot," the redhead grumbled, but he didn't seem the least bit offended.

Boomer left Bubbles' side and bounded over to them. "So, what are you guys up to?"

"I was trying to get my radio working," Brick said, and it was then that Bubbles noticed an instruction booklet in his hands. "But the stupid thing is missing a part and I don't think I can get my hands on it."

All mirth disappeared and Boomer grew serious. "What kind of part is it? Maybe I can find it in the city."

Brick shook his head. "Don't waste your time. If the year on these instructions is correct, then this particular part hasn't been manufactured in decades."

"What were you trying to do?" Bubbles asked, her voice barely a whisper. Miraculously, the redhead heard her.

"I wanted to send out an SOS to one of the evacuation zones," he explained. "My dad's had this old thing for ages but it stopped working last year. I was trying to see if I could get it working again, tweak it a little and see if it could send a signal, but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon."

"Oh." Bubbles wished she could offer her assistance but she didn't know much about tinkering with machines. Blossom or Buttercup would probably know a thing or two, but they weren't around. She felt a twinge of jealousy; at least Boomer still had his siblings with him. It was weird to think she used to enjoy having the house all to herself when her sisters would step out. Now that it was just her... Bubbles would do anything to have her family's usual chaos back.

"Why not just travel to one of the zones?" Boomer asked.

Brick lifted an eyebrow at the question, sending a pointed look to the blonde. "And end up like the others who tried to do that?"

"Oh... Right." Boomer rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Sorry."

The oldest Jojo brother ran a hand over his face and leaned back against his chair, huffing in frustration. "It's fine. I think in a few days, when it's my turn to go out scavenging, I'll see if I can find a substitute part."

"They sent out a rescue team," Bubbles piped up, and that gained everyone's attention. Swallowing nervously, she continued, "My family was brought to the evacuation zone before they could pick me up. My sister managed to contact me and said they were sending people out to rescue survivors, but it's been a week. I don't know if anything happened, but there might still be a chance that we'll be rescued."

"Fat chance," Butch muttered, returning his attention to the handheld console in front of him. "The infected are fast and they fight dirty. If anyone was dumb enough to come out here, they're probably dead or in the process of turning, just like the people in the evacuation zones."

She knew he didn't mean to do it, but his words cut her like a knife. Bubbles often considered about the possibility of her family no longer being alive but it wasn't something she enjoyed thinking about. She certainly didn't want to hear it spoken aloud.

Boomer glared at the dark-haired male. " _Dude_."

Butch glowered back at him, clearly not in a good mood. "What?"

"Didn't you just hear her? The Utonium family is _in_ the evacuation zone."

Green eyes softened as the dark-haired male realized what he'd said. "Sorry, but... It's not like it can't or won't happen."

His demeanor reminded her so much of Buttercup. Whenever the stubborn girl had to apologize, she _did_ say sorry but it often preceded more provocative language that would make the situation worse. Instead of backward compliments, Buttercup gave backward apologies; Bubbles figured Butch was the same way.

Boomer shook his head before offering a kind, apologetic smile to Bubbles. "Don't take it personal, Bubbles, I'm sure your family's fine. Bitch—I mean, _Butch_ , is just a meathead."

"Get bent, kid."

"Hopefully one day, bro."

Butch snorted and he turned his attention to the timid girl standing in the archway.

"Don't let Boomer fool you. He's a total loser."

He was joking, but Bubbles knew it was his way of truly saying sorry and trying to make amends for his harsh words. She nodded to indicate she understood, and he visibly relaxed.

The 'total loser' scoffed in mock offense. "I am _not_! I just happen to not be a winner."

"Exactly: a loser."

"You're just a hater." Boomer sent a playful wink towards Bubbles and she giggled. Watching the two go back and forth reminded her of her own family and although it made her miss them more, it was comforting. The world might have changed, but sibling dynamics hadn't.

"So, Bubbles." At the mention of her name, she looked up and found Brick regarding her politely. "Why aren't you with your family?"

"I had the flu when this all started," she explained. "And I was stuck at home. My family had been out when the infection reached Townsville and they tried to pick me up, but I guess the military wouldn't let them."

Brick hummed in reply, mulling over her words. "Are you by yourself?"

She glanced towards Boomer, who was currently leaning over Butch's shoulder to watch the game he was playing. "I am."

"Would you like to stay with us?" he offered. "We don't have much, but we have electricity and running water, plus we could always use an extra set of ears and eyes around here at night."

"That's generous of you to offer, but I'd rather stay at my house in case the rescue team does arrive," she replied, returning her attention to him. "My sisters told me to stay put, so I try to stay at the house as much as I can just in case."

He nodded. "If you ever change your mind, our home is always open."

"Thank you."

Suddenly, a beeping noise rose up and the casual atmosphere of the room changed. Boomer and Butch froze, all traces of humor and ease gone, and Brick's expression darkened as he checked his watch.

"It's almost night time," he stated, clicking a button on his watch to silence the beeping. "Who's on watch tonight?"

"That would be yours truly," Boomer replied, almost tiredly. "Come on, Bubbles, I'll walk you home."

"You sure you don't want to stay the night?" Butch asked. Bubbles was surprised to hear genuine concern in his voice, but she smiled brightly.

"Thank you, but I'll be fine. I've lasted this long; I think I can brave another night."

Boomer's brothers didn't look convinced but they bid her good night, as well as 'good luck.'

As the blonde walked her out and they set off towards her house, Bubbles felt lighter than she had in days. To be around other people, to listen to other voices and be able to laugh, smile, _talk_... It was such a welcome change from the lonely silence of her house.

And it was a relief to know that the Jojo brothers were trustworthy. It would not have been pleasant to find that Boomer had simply pretended his brothers were still alive, nor would it have been fun to find his brothers to be creepy or mean-spirited. In fact, getting to meet them made her feel kind of jealous; she wished she could be with her family. The situation might still be dire, but if she had Blossom, Buttercup, and the Professor with her, it would make everything that much easier to deal with.

 _Boomer is so lucky._

"Sorry again about Butch."

Her thoughts were interrupted by Boomer's words. He looked ashamed.

"Sometimes my brother doesn't think before he speaks. I'm sorry if what he said upset you."

She wracked her brain for what Butch could have said that would have warranted an apology on his behalf, then remembered his earlier comment regarding the evacuation zones.

"It's okay," she assured. "My sister Buttercup is the same way, so I'm kind of used to it. You were right earlier; I have to look at the positives and I think—no, I _know_ —that my family is safe and sound."

Boomer wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a half-hug. "That's the spirit! I'll bet you'll get to see them again in no time. Just gotta keep busy for now."

"So you're on watch tonight?"

Boomer heaved a sigh. "Yeah. Each night, my brothers and I take turns keeping an eye out for any infected that may be lurking around. It's not really necessary since we don't see too many infected around here, but better safe than sorry. If anything, it's just boring."

Bubbles knew if she was in his shoes, she'd be ecstatic not to spot too many of those creatures moving about, but that was just her opinion.

"Wait, so you've actually seen a few around here?"

"When our neighbors turned, they wandered around for a bit before they went into the city. Since then, we try to be extra careful at night and we try to make sure there's nothing lingering around here."

"Please be careful." Her eyes were pleading and Boomer nodded curtly.

"Will do, _Mom_." He stuck his tongue out and she whacked his arm playfully. He laughed and pulled her into another half-hug.

"I promise I'll be careful if you promise not to worry so much, okay? That's your homework for tonight."

She wasn't sure how she could possibly _not_ worry about him with the knowledge that a few infected had already been spotted around their neighborhood. It didn't help to know that her friend would be out there tonight _by_ _himself_. What if one of those things attacked him? Boomer was really starting to grow on her and if anything tore him away from her, she would really lose her mind. No family plus her only friend, gone? How could she go on if—

"What did I just say?" He pinched her cheek and she swatted his hand away, pouting at him. "I told you not to worry so much. Look, me and my brothers have a system; if any of those things tries to get in or they see us, Brick set up a bunch of little traps around the house that will not only slow them down, but also alert us that something's up. So don't. Worry. Capisce?"

"I'll try," was all she could say, but she did her best to push out any 'what if' thoughts that tried to poke at her mind.

"That's good enough for me. I'll swing by tomorrow to say hi, okay?"

She smiled. "Okay. I'll be waiting."


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the late update. Still healing from the concussion. Hope you guys enjoy! And thank you so much for your reviews! :D**

 **Guest: I'm honored that my story is one of the best you've come across! Thank you so much! However, if I may pose the question: are these creatures truly zombies? ;)**

* * *

 **.: 8 :.**

When Bubbles awoke the next morning, she was surprised to see the curtains open with light filtering throughout her bedroom. Blossom and Buttercup's beds were still made, but the sound of cartoons echoed from downstairs and the banging of pots and pans in the kitchen sent the blonde scrambling to get out of bed, tripping over her own two feet as she stumbled down the stairs. Sure enough, her ears weren't wrong; Blossom sat on the couch with a book in her lap while Buttercup lounged on the floor with a bowl of cereal, eyes glued to the show currently blaring on the screen. The eldest Utonium child offered her a warm smile.

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

" _Blossom!_ " Bubbles practically pounced on her sister, jumping onto the couch and pulling her into a bone-crushing hug that earned a few protests from the redhead. "I missed you guys so much!"

"What do you mean, you missed us? You just saw us last night, silly."

The blonde pulled back. "You were gone and there were these creatures and I was so scared and everyone was _gone_ and—"

Blossom placed a finger over her mouth to silence her. "Bubbles, everything is okay. _You're_ okay. It was just a bad dream."

The blonde deflated at her sister's words. It _couldn't_ have been a dream; it was way too vivid and frightening.

"But it was so real! Everything was wrong, all of Townsville was empty and—"

The redhead regarded her with concern. "I promise you, it was just a nightmare. You're home and you're safe, and in a little while we're going out shopping, remember?"

Bubbles struggled to remember ever having made plans to go out, but suddenly she couldn't remember anything. What had she been so worried about? And why did she have this inkling that she was forgetting something? Whatever it was, she was sure she would have remembered it if it was important.

"Did you seriously forget that we're meeting Robin at the mall?" Buttercup piped up, lifting a spoonful of cheerios to her mouth. "Sounds like someone partied too hard last night."

Blossom pinched the bridge of her nose at Buttercup's statement and Bubbles huffed indignantly. "I did not! I'm just having an off-day, that's all."

Buttercup was about to retort when the Professor's gentle voice called out, "Breakfast is ready!"

All three girls bounded into the kitchen—correction, Bubbles and Buttercup bounded in; Blossom, ever the elegant lady, _strode_ in after them—to find four plates of scrambled eggs, bacon, buttered toast, and glasses of orange juice waiting for them on the table. The Professor was at the sink drying his hands off with a paper towel and he greeted his daughters with a warm smile.

"I hope everyone's hungry," he said, chuckling. "I made enough food to feed an army."

"Aw man, I didn't know you were making bacon!" Buttercup cried indignantly, pouting at the empty bowl of cereal in her hands.

"I told you not to fill up on cereal," Blossom chided, and the noirette rolled her eyes. She plucked a strip of bacon from the plate and popped it into her mouth to spite her older sister, who only shook her head in response.

As they all sat down to eat, Bubbles couldn't ignore the bad feeling that remained in the pit of her stomach. She didn't know why, but even though this was a typical morning in the Utonium house, something felt off. There was something nagging at the back of her mind, but what was it? What was she trying to remember and why couldn't she pinpoint what it was? She wanted to ponder the thought further but her father tapped her on the shoulder, making her jump in surprise.

"Are you feeling alright, honey?" he asked, concern lacing his tone. "You haven't touched your food."

Sure enough, the plate in front of Bubbles was undisturbed. She didn't know why, but she couldn't remember making herself a plate; had the Professor done that for her? Geez, what was going on with her memory lately? It was starting to worry her..

"I'm okay," she forced out. "Just not hungry, I guess."

"Yeah, well, your loss is my gain." Buttercup reached over and snatched two strips of bacon from Bubbles' plate before the girl could protest. Buttercup grinned, showing off a mouth full of half-chewed food and let out a loud exaggerated "Hom nom nom!" which immediately earned her a scolding from both Blossom and their father.

"Ew! Come on, Buttercup, that's _gross_!"

"Buttercup Utonium, you know better than that. Close your mouth and chew properly."

The noirette rolled her eyes again, but smiled when she saw Bubbles trying not to laugh. She sent a wink in Bubbles' direction and the blonde realized Buttercup was trying to cheer her up from whatever was bothering her. She offered her an appreciative smile of her own and breakfast continued without any further shenanigans.

After everyone finished eating, the girls helped clear the table. Blossom excused herself to go upstairs while Buttercup returned to her spot in front of the television. For some reason, seeing her sisters walk away made Bubbles want to cry but before she could ponder why she felt so upset, the Professor interrupted her thoughts once more.

"Bubbles, could you help me wash the dishes?" His kind voice banished any sad feelings she had and she quickly nodded, grabbing a few paper towels while he set to work on washing the dirtied plates. Twenty minutes later and they were finished, her father thanking her for her help, and it was then that Blossom descended the stairs sporting light makeup, cute black flats, and a pink dress with a white cardigan.

Buttercup entered the kitchen next after grabbing her car keys and tossing them in the air before catching them, spinning the key ring around her finger.

"Mall time! Who wants to ride shotgun?"

Both of her sisters groaned in reply.

* * *

Getting to the mall was a blur. All of Townsville was bustling and full of its usual happy tenants, but Bubbles still felt like something was wrong. A nagging feeling of 'don't go into the city' kept popping up, but she didn't understand why. Everyone in Townsville was friendly for the most part, so there was no reason to fear the city. And then there was that moment when they passed a stop sign that turned onto another part of the neighborhood... She felt an overwhelming amount of worry and sadness, but she just couldn't figure out _why_. Had she ever even been down that street? Why on earth would she feel so upset if she'd never been there in the first place? And she didn't know anyone in that side of the outskirts, so why...?

Maybe she was just being dumb.

Once Buttercup parked the car, they entered the mall and headed towards the food court where Robin was supposedly waiting. Bubbles was surprised to find the mall completely empty; usually on weekends it was packed to the point of ridiculousness. Did they ever have trouble finding parking in the past? God, _why_ couldn't she _remember_ anything?!

"There's Robin," Blossom pointed out. Sure enough, the brunette was up ahead at one of the food court counters. Blossom and Buttercup approached the girl but Bubbles hung back, her instincts screaming against going any further. She watched as her sisters tried to get Robin's attention, but Bubbles hoped the girl wouldn't turn around. She had a feeling that once she did, something bad would happen.

"Robin? Hey, girl, what's wrong?" Buttercup asked, placing a hand on the motionless girl's shoulder. Bubbles chewed her lip as Robin slowly turned around, bracing herself for a horrific scene, but their childhood friend simply turned, her doe eyes looking slightly lost.

"Oh, hey guys. Sorry, I was spacing out."

They immediately fell into easy conversation, but Bubbles couldn't hear them. Their voices sounded muted and warbled, like they were underwater. She was about to approach them to see if her ears were failing her when a cry of pain rose up behind her. Bubbles turned around to see a blonde boy about her age struggling against a sickly-looking man above him. Bubbles' heart began to thunder in her chest when she saw bloody smears around the man's mouth, his eyes glowing a threatening red as he snapped his teeth viciously at the boy who was using all his strength to keep him away from his neck.

 _Boomer_.

It all came rushing back the moment she realized who that boy was and she tried to yell for her sisters, but no noises escaped her throat. It was like someone put her voice on mute, and at the worst time possible, too. Blossom, Buttercup, and Robin happily kept up their conversation, even laughing with each other, as if Bubbles wasn't standing by witnessing her friend getting overpowered by an infected.

She tried to run over to him but it was like walking through water. Any movement she made was agonizingly slow and she watched in horror as the infected finally succeeded in its mission to bite Boomer, pinning his arms above his head and sinking its teeth into the boy's neck. The life slowly faded from his eyes and his mouth remained open in a silent scream, the infected man ripping into his throat as if it were his last meal.

A clawed hand dug into her shoulder and Bubbles whirled on her heel, only to see the first infected man she'd ever encountered. She tried to scream, to warn her sisters and Robin, to let out one last noise to let the world know how terrified she was to die like Boomer had, but her voice failed her again. It was then that the man's red-stained maw opened impossibly wide, red eyes glowing like lit cigarettes and boring into Bubbles' own icy-blue orbs as his sharp teeth came closer and closer, and just as he was about to swallow Bubbles whole—

She jolted awake to find her bedroom dark, no sliver of sunlight brightening her room and no echoes of old sitcoms coming from downstairs. Her heart thundered in her chest and her cheeks were wet with tears. She wanted to cry at her mind's cruel visions; she missed her family terribly and if anything ever happened to Boomer... Bubbles sniffled and wiped her eyes, fighting the fresh wave of tears that stung the corners of her vision, but she couldn't focus on her anguish for long.

 _Knock, knock, knock._

She froze and tuned into the silence around her, wondering where the strange knocking was coming from. Front door? The back door in the kitchen? Basement? She was slightly afraid to go downstairs and check. What if it was one of those monsters?

 _Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock... Knock-knock._

...Okay, so she was pretty sure the infected couldn't tap out a little tune like that. Maybe it was Boomer? But it was still night, wasn't it?

Slowly, she crawled out of bed and grabbed Buttercup's metal baseball bat. Bubbles shuddered to think she might have to use the blunt object to protect herself—she didn't like the idea of causing harm to anything or anyone regardless of their intentions towards her—but began to tiptoe downstairs, the knocking noises coming from the front door. Sunlight streamed through the glass of the kitchen door and she took slight comfort in knowing she'd made it through another night. Upon reaching the living room, she crept towards the front door and looked through the peephole. Relief flooded her at the sight of a familiar blonde male waiting patiently on her doorstep.

 _Boomer_.

She placed the bat aside and unlocked the door, opening it just a crack. Her cheerful friend was, as always, bouncing on his heels.

"Good morning!" He beamed. Then, finally noticing her messy hair and pajamas, his smile dimmed. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

The nightmare came back to her full-force and she immediately pulled him into a hug, tears threatening to overflow. Boomer didn't hug her back right away, as he was surprised at the sudden physical contact, but he patted her back awkwardly once he realized she was crying. He helped her sit down with him on the stoop and kept an arm around her as she cried, rubbing her shoulder in an attempt to offer comfort.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was thick and watery. "I just h-had the worst dre-dream."

"What was it about?" he asked. Bubbles recounted the nightmare for him and his expression morphed into one of shock, then resolution.

"It was just a dream," Boomer assured her. "I'm okay, _you're_ okay, and your family is okay. Nothing more to it."

"It was so _real_ ," she sniffled. "I thought... I thought that everything was back to normal, but then I forgot you, and I _knew_ I forgot you, and then..."

Fresh tears threatened to fall when she remembered his lifeless eyes, mouth hanging open in a mute, eternal scream. The thought of losing him was too much to bear, and so she buried her face in her hands as more sobs wracked her body. Boomer slung an arm around her shoulders.

"But that was just a dream. In reality, you're here. With _me._ " He offered her a smile and she tried to return it, but it resembled a grimace.

"Besides, do you really think you could forget my ugly mug that easily?"

Bubbles snorted and lightly shoved him. "You're not ugly."

"What if I wanna be ugly?" He screwed up his face and Bubbles couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her.

"Boomer, really?"

He laughed. "Just messing with ya. But seriously... Dreams are just dreams. There's no way I would ever let some infected freak kill me. Not without giving them a proper ass-kicking first, anyway."

Bubbles looked down at her hands, turning them over and examining the pale skin. He was right... It _was_ just a dream, wasn't it? They were both still alive, still _real_ , and everything would be okay. He was always the one telling her to stay positive, after all... It was about time she take his advice.

"Feel any better?"

She returned her gaze to his and was touched to find him regarding her with genuine concern. Blush painted her cheeks and she nodded.

"Yeah. I'm sorry that I got so worked up."

Boomer reached up to pinch her nose but she knew what he was going to do and ducked away from his grasp. He laughed.

"You're catching on to my shenanigans, I see. In all seriousness, don't apologize; we all have bad dreams and honestly, what are friends for? Just know that everything's okay, you and I are safe, and nothing's gonna happen. Not if I have anything to say about it."

Even so, she _hated_ crying in front of other people. Bubbles wasn't a tough girl like Buttercup, who practically never cried, but she still didn't like others seeing her so vulnerable.

"If you're interested," he offered. "I think it's going to be super hot out today and I was going to go for a swim at the community pool. They opened it before the infection hit, so it should be okay. If not, they probably have loads of chlorine there that we could use if the water is a little gross. Do you want to come with me? Might be fun."

"Aren't you tired?" she asked. "You had to stay up and take watch last night, right? You must be exhausted."

"Nah. Brick relieved me around four, so I was able to doze off for a few hours. Plus, I had coffee, so I'm good to go. Only if you feel up to hanging out, though."

Another day of hanging out with Boomer? _Count me in._

"Definitely. I'll go get changed and meet you by the stop sign."

He beamed. "Sounds like a plan, man."

* * *

"Geronimoooo!"

Boomer sprinted towards the pool before doing a cannonball, the miraculously crystal-clear water splashing everywhere from the impact. A few drops landed on Bubbles and she was surprised to find the water was warm. Then again, for the past few days they had been going through a heat wave. It shouldn't have been so surprising that the pool water felt like a bathtub.

When Boomer resurfaced, he shook the water out of his hair. "Woo! This is great!"

Bubbles padded softly towards the edge of the pool and spread her towel over the concrete. Once she was satisfied, she toed off her flip-flops and sat down, dipping her feet into the warm water. It _did_ feel pretty nice, even if it was still like sticking her feet into a bath...

"Are you coming in?" her goofy companion asked. He laid back on the water and allowed it to carry him, looking as carefree and happy as ever.

"Maybe in a bit," she replied softly. She swung her legs in the water, enjoying the feel of its warmth. The skies were clear and blue today, the sun baking down on Townsville as it had the past few days, but the humidity had reached its peak today. The air was completely damp and it made her miss air conditioning.

Boomer took a deep breath before going under the water. Bubbles watched him swim around for a bit before he turned his attention back to her.

"You sure you don't wanna come in? You're seriously missing out."

She hummed in response. simply enjoying the summer afternoon. "Maybe in a bit," she repeated, and Boomer pouted. Suddenly, however, a devilish look crossed his features and he grinned evilly.

"What?" she asked. He began to wade towards her.

"You said that before, you know. That you'd join me in a bit."

"I will, I'm just being lazy." She kicked her foot upwards before letting it fall back against the water, creating a splash. Boomer continued stalking towards her, that grin only growing more and more evil the closer he got.

Realization dawned on her. Buttercup had dragged her into the pool a few times during their youth, so she knew where this was heading. She immediately pulled her legs out of the water and Boomer laughed.

"That won't save you."

She giggled and stood, backing away from the pool edge. "Bet you can't catch me!"

"Oh, it's on like Donkey Kong! You're getting in this pool one way or another!"

With that, he swam towards the shallow end and headed for the steps that led out of the pool. As soon as he was free from the water's grasp, he took off towards her and she laughed, running away from him. He began running in the opposite direction to try to catch her that way, and instead they stared at each other from either side of the pool, neither moving.

"One way or another," Boomer said, pacing along the edge of the pool, eyes glinting with mischief.

"Gotta catch me first," she reminded, winking at him. The action caused him to blush, but it could have been the hot weather turning his skin pink. It was, after all, close to one-hundred degrees outside.

Boomer suddenly sprinted around the right edge of the pool, so Bubbles took off towards the left. They circled the pool once, Boomer chasing after her, before he suddenly stumbled and fell, scraping his knee.

"Crap!"

He hissed and nursed the injury with his hand, wincing a few times. Bubbles scrambled towards him.

"Oh my God, are you okay? Your knee—"

He grinned and lifted his hand, revealing unblemished skin.

"Gotcha!"

Bubbles squealed as he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, letting out an exaggerated, maniacal laugh. She laughed as well and began to weakly pummel his back with her fists.

"Hey, let me go!"

"Let you go? Well, if you insist~" He lifted her up and Bubbles' eyes widened.

"No, wait, don't—"

She hit the water before she could finish her sentence. She squeezed her eyes shut as her nose immediately filled up and she coughed, clawing her way back up to the surface for air. She choked and coughed, desperate to clear her burning lungs and nose, and was grateful when she finally managed to breathe again. Boomer dove into the deep end and swam towards her, that mischievous glint still lurking in his blue eyes once he resurfaced.

"You cheated," Bubbles accused in a hoarse voice, and he laughed. She was coming to love that sound. Boomer had a great laugh and his smile was so bright that it rivaled the sun. It was a cheesy comparison, but he was a bright, cheery person and she was really starting to like that about him.

"I did no such thing, m'lady."

"Jerk." She splashed at him and he chuckled.

"You know you love me."

 _Yeah, I do._ Platonically, of course.

"You were right, though," she admitted, laying back against the water. "This _does_ feel pretty great."

"Told you so."

They both relaxed in the pool for some time, lazily watching the clouds drift by in the sky. It was nice to just sit in the water. Boomer proposed a game of Marco-Polo at one point and they played two games of it. She caught him once by jumping onto his back and wrapping her arms around him, which made him laugh and dunk them both underwater. It was fun to pretend the world was normal, that they were just two people enjoying the summertime, even if it was only for an afternoon.

When they were tired, Bubbles laid out on her towel and sunbathed for a bit. Between the heat and exerting energy trying to run from Boomer, she was exhausted. She nearly fell asleep when she heard Boomer jump back into the pool after he reapplied sunscreen. When the heat got to be a bit too much, she joined him again. While he practiced doing handstands in the shallow end, she leaned her head back to re-wet her hair.

Bubbles wasn't sure how it happened or why, but she looked up at one of the nearby houses. She was about to return her gaze to the crystal-clear water before her when she noticed the dark shape standing in one of the windows. Red pinpricks were watching her and Boomer with an unreadable expression, but the fact that _something was watching them_ sent a chill down her spine. Whatever pretense she'd been under, that perhaps this afternoon they were safe and enjoying a sliver of normalcy, was thrown out the metaphorical window and reality seeped back in.

"Bubbles?"

It took Boomer placing a hand on her shoulder for her to finally snap out of whatever trance she'd been in. A violent shiver tore through her and he instantly withdrew his hand.

"Whoa, sorry, are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, sorry," she replied, rubbing her hands over her arms. They were covered in goosebumps, but not because of the water or the breeze that had picked up. "Did you see that?"

"See what?"

When she looked back at the window, there was nothing there. Had she simply imagined the figure? No, that couldn't be right... Someone had been standing there before.

"I thought I saw someone standing there," she admitted, pointing to the window in question. Boomer followed her gaze and frowned.

"Really? Well, what exactly did you see?"

"Red eyes staring at us. It looked like someone or some _thing_ was watching us."

"They must've been checking out the gun show." He flexed his biceps and kissed one, making her laugh.

"Come on, Boomer, I'm being serious here!"

"I know, I know." He laid back on the water. "Well, if someone or some _thing_ was watching us, they're gone now. What a weirdo."

"You don't think maybe..." She bit her lip, not wanting to finish the thought, but forced herself to continue, "The neighborhood has a few infected hiding in the houses?"

"I would have seen them roaming about during the nighttime," Boomer assured. "I sit up in our attic where the telescope is situated and I can tell you, I could see _every_ part of the neighborhood if I wanted to. I've never seen any infected stay out here; they always flock to the city. Maybe if there _is_ someone in there, they're human and they just wanna yell at us for running around the pool when it says 'no running.'"

It still amazed her at how carefree he was. Bubbles could've sworn she'd seen red eyes, but maybe it _was_ her imagination. Maybe there was another person out there, or maybe it had been light reflecting off of something red. "I guess.."

She looked back at the window but nothing had changed. No one was there and Bubbles was left to wonder if perhaps Boomer was beginning to think she didn't have all her marbles. The thought bothered her; she hoped he didn't view her as some crazy, paranoid person.

"The weather looks like it's going to turn south," he remarked, and he was right. The afternoon sun was currently hidden by a few gray clouds. With every breeze that wafted through, the trees showed the backs of their leaves, indicating a coming thunderstorm. Sure enough, a soft clap of thunder rumbled in the distance.

Wordlessly, Bubbles and Boomer exited the pool and wrapped themselves in their towels. Bubbles dried herself off as best as she could before pulling on her T-shirt and shorts again. Boomer threw on the sleeveless hoodie he'd brought, both beginning to head towards Bubbles' house.

As they walked, a few raindrops pelted them, a warning of the storm to come. The humidity had reached an unbearable level and the breezes were becoming more frequent. The skies grew darker with more rain clouds and Bubbles realized she didn't want to sit through the storm alone. Especially not after that nightmare... She felt her eyes water at the thought of her time with Boomer coming to an end.

"Hey, Boomer?"

He turned to her and offered a warm smile, an action that made her feel fuzzy inside.

"Do you think that, um... We could have that sleepover tonight?"

His smile turned into a huge grin. "Hell yeah! Your house or mine?"

She chewed her lip. While it would be safer to be at his house, there was still a part of her that wanted to wait things out for her sisters.

"Oh, actually..." Boomer tilted his head slightly in thought. "Now that I think about it, when we talked about having a sleepover, we _did_ say we'd have it at your place. Are you cool with that or would you prefer to be with me and my brothers? We _do_ have electricity so we could watch a movie or play video games, but then again, that would take away the fun of telling scary stories in the dark... What do you think?"

"Can we have it at my place?" Her voice sounded so meek that if Buttercup were here, she'd probably make fun of her.

"Of course!" Boomer clapped a hand on her shoulder. "This is gonna be so awesome! I hope you don't mind, I just need to run home quick to pick up some stuff."

"Sure. I'll get everything ready here and I'll see you soon." They reached her house and they parted ways. Boomer bounded off for his own house while she went inside, retrieving two top-sheets from the linen closet. She grabbed her pillow and an extra one for Boomer. She brought them downstairs and placed them on the couch before entering the kitchen to grab her trusty flashlight.

Bubbles managed to take a quick—albeit freezing—shower to wash the smell of pool-water off. She just managed to set the flashlight upright on the living room coffee table to give the room some light when a tell-tale knock interrupted her.

She let Boomer in and was surprised to see him carrying a bunch of candy. A small backpack was slung over his left shoulder.

"Operation sleepover is a-go." He grinned. "Figured we could make s'mores. I brought a lighter to toast the marshmallows and it probably won't be the same as a campfire, but it's something."

"Sounds good to me." She offered a smile of her own. "Think I could steal some chocolate off you?"

"Help yourself, girl, it's why I brought it. I'm gonna get started on building us a pillow fort." Then, after a pause, "Is that okay?"

"Of course, by all means. Build the best pillow fort you can."

Bubbles grabbed a Hershey bar and nibbled on it as Boomer set to work.


	9. Chapter 9

**.: 9 :.**

A chorus of hushed voices and the ever-present hum of generators swirled around the Utonium sisters as they huddled in one of the various tents of the evacuation zone. The thick smell of mud, latex, disinfectant, and even a twinge of body odor hung in the air. Being in the evacuation zone had its perks, as the military took care of everything such as scavenging, scouting out towns and cities for potential survivors and places they could extend the zone to, and keeping the people safe from any infected that tried to wreak havoc on their makeshift living space.

However, for this particular family, staying in the evacuation zone was absolutely maddening. Their freedom was limited, they were constantly hungry from low food rations, not to mention they would fare better if they weren't currently missing one of their own. Bubbles was still out there in Townsville, alone and probably helpless, and they could do nothing but wait for the higher-ups to inform them of the rescue team's status. No word had arrived regarding the team's progress or if they had managed to reach Bubbles and the Utonium family could only pester the authorities for so long before they would be forcefully escorted back to their assigned house.

It didn't help that the only cell phone service they could get was in the center of the zone, far from their temporary home and right where a mix of sweaty, on-edge people were loitering.

"Okay, I just sent at least five texts." Blossom, the oldest of Professor Utonium's triplet daughters, turned her phone off and let out a weary sigh. "It says they're currently sending, but I'm not sure if any of them will go through. Hopefully if four don't make it, one will."

The middle Utonium child, Buttercup, nodded to indicate her acknowledgement while she held her own phone to her ear. After five minutes of silence, an automated voice began informing her that the number she had dialed couldn't be reached, and she furiously mashed her thumb against the 'end call' icon.

"I've tried ten times and I _still_ can't get anything to go through! This is _horse shit!_ "

Buttercup growled and pulled her arm back to hurl the phone at the wall, but Blossom stopped her.

"If you smash that phone, we'll have one less way to reach her. Come on, Buttercup, we've got to keep trying no matter how long it takes."

The noirette sighed and simply tossed the electronic device onto her cot, slumping down beside it. They had been trying to reach their youngest sister ever since they got to the evacuation zone. The one phone call they'd been able to get through had been cut off thanks to the crappy service, and Buttercup knew that her sister managed to get the first two texts after that. However, it had been practically two weeks and there was still no word on what was going on. Was Bubbles still alive out there? Was she just sending texts to a phone who no longer had an owner?

The rescue team had been dispatched the day after the girls managed to get in touch with Bubbles. They should have reached her by now, their small family had high hopes that the team and Bubbles were currently on their way back, but an alarming realization came to light just a few nights ago that made the Utonium family work that much harder to contact their youngest member.

The infected were growing smarter. Instead of just sticking to the city, they were now swarming around the power plants, cell towers, water towers; anywhere and everywhere that the living could use to regain their bearings were highly populated with infected. They no longer mindlessly attacked people they came across; they were intelligent predators with a frightening sense of strategy. They used their heightened senses to their advantage, locating survivors merely by listening, picking up on scents, and then waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It was almost as if they _knew_ that human beings needed these locations and purposely hung around them to prevent them from regaining control over their world.

It was even becoming difficult to get to any of the supermarkets. Almost every grocery store was chock-full of infected purposely laying in wait for desperate survivors to stumble inside. Two of the zones had already been overrun, their stories eerily similar: a few teams ran out to scavenge food and supplies, got turned, then came back with other infected a few days later to turn the rest of the survivors. The amount of remaining evacuation zones was quickly decreasing, and it was only a matter of time before the Utonium family's zone was conquered by those creatures as well.

The Professor was worried sick about his youngest daughter having to fend for herself in a world much crueler than before. What if she ran out of food? What if the infected discovered her? And how was she, after dealing with that nasty flu strain? Was she still sick or was she getting better? What if she was still weak and one of the infected killed her?

He couldn't do much to alleviate his worries because the zone needed every doctor, nurse, and scientist they could find to tend to the sick and the elderly around the clock. Vaccines had already been created to try to combat the infection but nothing was working; once a person was bitten, they were done for.

It was baffling to the scientists and doctors to find that there was nothing that could be administered to prevent or, at the very least, slow down the infection after the initial bite. It was even more bizarre that the infected were becoming increasingly intelligent; did this mean they were regaining a sense of humanity, of rational thought, feeling, perhaps even empathy?

Or were humans about to get kicked off the top of the food chain?

The zone they were located in had a working generator and they had plenty of fuel for it, but sooner or later that would run out, too, and then what would happen? If it weren't for the electrified fences, the zone would have been swarmed long ago. Their situation was quickly becoming worse and the Utonium family, as well as the other people living around them, were growing uneasy.

"Have you heard anything from Bubbles?"

At the sound of her father's weary voice, Buttercup forced down her frustration and picked up her phone again. The Professor was so tired, yet he still tried to put on a brave face for them, even though they were all uncertain of the youngest Utonium girl's fate. It didn't help that with each passing day, their hope continued to dwindle.

"Nothing yet. We're still trying."

He heaved a sigh and sat down next to her, his shoulders slumping with exhaustion.

"Another busy night in the infirmary?" Blossom asked, offering him a water bottle. He accepted it with a soft 'thank you' before twisting the cap off and taking a few sips.

"Mostly research. None of the vaccines are working and everyone is about ready to give up hope for any kind of cure."

Blossom's expression fell and Buttercup simply looked away. In this type of situation, they kept holding out for some kind of sign that things would improve, that perhaps they could finally gain the upper-hand on the infection before it claimed any more people. However, with each passing day, whatever hope they had left kept getting stretched thinner and thinner.

If a cure or preventative measure couldn't be discovered, then what would become of them, of Bubbles? No one wanted to entertain the possibility of the human race losing to an epidemic, and yet with how everything was turning out so far...

"You know, Bubbles is a smart cookie." Blossom was the one who broke the silence. "She may have her ditzy moments, but she's not a stupid girl. I think she's doing okay on her own. There's no way something bad could have happened to her. If I know her, she heeded our warnings and she's probably holed up somewhere safe."

Buttercup decided that was a better thought to have than to consider... No. Bubbles _was_ still alive, and she would continue to hope, pray, and believe that her sister was okay.

"I know she is. She's probably kicking major infected butt right now." Both sisters shared a weak smile, and their father managed a somewhat hopeful expression of his own.

"I'm sure she is," he replied. However, as both girls' gazes remained on him, it was evident that the lines in his face had become more pronounced over the past few weeks. Before the outbreak, the Professor had had only a few lines to indicate his approach to middle age, but now he looked much older, more exhausted. It concerned Blossom and made Buttercup feel sad that her father was practically aging faster from all this worry and hopelessness, but there was nothing they could do except try to be strong for him so that he had two less people to worry about.

Both of his daughters pulled him into a hug and he gladly returned it, wrapping his arms around them and holding them close. During moments like these, he realized how truly lucky he was to be a father, to have three wonderful children who were not only kind and compassionate, but also brave and incredibly strong. He had done his best to be strong for them, yet they were doing all they could to be strong for him, too. He knew that Bubbles wasn't with them right now, but he remained hopeful that she was doing alright. Everyone was worried about her and the state of the world, but everyone was also working together to prolong their survival despite the bleak situation at hand. In that moment, he was proud of them... And proud of Bubbles, too, because she had the same courageous heart as her sisters and he hoped, no, he _knew_ that they would be reunited with her sooner or later. The world may fall into ruins, but he and his daughters would make it, that much he knew.

"I didn't always get to say it often before, but I love you three so much." The Professor's voice cracked halfway through and it was enough for the emotional dam to burst. Blossom was the first to begin sniffling thickly, tears painting wet tracks down her cheeks, and then Buttercup's own vision began to grow watery. The Professor held them as they all began to fall apart, his own expression crumbling with weariness, despair, and even fear. They had been so busy trying to keep themselves together for the sake of their father's well-being that they didn't realize how scared and helpless they felt about everything. If only they could've gotten to Bubbles before they were evacuated, if only Bubbles had been well enough to go to school, where Buttercup could have picked her up and brought her right to the Professor and Blossom... If only the world wasn't in the state it was in right now...

In their own private room, the Utonium family held each other as they cried, hoping the future looked much brighter than it did in that moment. They prayed Bubbles was somewhere safe, if not on her way back to them.

When they had run out of tears, the Professor got up and retrieved a box of tissues, offering them to Blossom and Buttercup who accepted it gratefully. After all three of them managed to put a brave face back on, the Professor wrung his hands as he stood in the doorway.

"I hate to leave you two, but I have to get back," he lamented. "Will you be alright on your own? I won't be back until midnight due to a few new patients being admitted to our medical tent."

Buttercup felt her eyes grow watery again. A childish part of her didn't want her father to leave; she wanted to stay with her family and never let them go, afraid that if she did, even for just a little while, she'd lose them like they might have lost Bubbles, but she didn't have much time to dwell on her feelings. Blossom slung an arm around her sister's shoulders and nodded at Professor Utonium.

"We'll be fine. Don't forget to eat and stay hydrated, okay? We'll see you at midnight and if we hear anything from Bubbles, you'll be the first to know."

He offered a determined nod of his own, disappearing through the thin flaps of the tent's entrance. Blossom let out a shaky sigh before patting Buttercup's back.

"Come on, we have to keep trying to reach Bubbles. Something's gotta give sooner or later."

* * *

Bubbles stirred, her stomach feeling marginally better than before when she and Boomer had stuffed themselves full of graham crackers and candy until they could hardly move. She didn't think she'd ever eaten so much s'mores in her life and although it had been delicious, her stomach had felt like it was going to explode. She was also pretty sure she cured herself of liking the campfire treat with how many she ate.

At least she felt better now, though. She sat up and looked around, her senses slowly coming back to her.

It was roughly one in the morning. Bubbles knew the time because she checked her phone and, along with learning what time it was, she was dismayed to find that her battery percentage was getting dangerously low. It wouldn't be long before she would lose the device altogether, along with any contact with her sisters... Or the outside world, for that matter.

Boomer snored softly beside her, his legs tangled in the thin top sheets while his upper half was hidden in the pillow fort he'd made. Bubbles couldn't help but smile at the sight. How was it that someone one year older than her could act like such a child, yet still be so cute while doing so?

Bubbles yawned and settled back down onto her side. The living room carpet wasn't exactly comfortable, but it wasn't the worst place to sleep. Besides, this wasn't her first time spending the night on the floor; Robin Snyder, the girl who lived a few houses down, used to sleep over frequently. She and the Utonium sisters would spend their evenings around the television, some kind of rom-com blaring on the screen while they gorged themselves on pizza, soda, and all the candy they could stomach. They often passed out on the living room floor after their self-induced food comas and woke up the next day having to clean up the mess.

Tonight was no exception. Bubbles and Boomer had had enough candy to cause a stomachache and they didn't have pizza, soda, or a movie to entertain them, but they did have fun telling each other scary stories. Of course, the irony was that they were living in a scary story, but it was fun to pretend they were having a normal sleepover instead of a semi-stakeout. Bubbles was starting to realize that in order to stay sane in this new world, sometimes it was necessary to pretend everything was just as it was before the outbreak.

She closed her eyes and tried to fall back asleep, the gentle pit-pat of rain on the roof and windows lulling her back into unconsciousness. She was just about to doze off completely when a new sound caused her eyes to fly open in alarm.

It was heavy breathing. Boomer's breaths were soft and even, as were his snores, but this kind of breathing sounded sickly, like it was all the person could do to inhale and exhale. It was mixed with a guttural kind of noise, mirroring that of an animal's growl but much more disturbing. Wet footsteps trudged through the muddy front lawn of her house and Bubbles' blood ran cold at the realization that there was an infected person outside, only feet away.

Thunder cracked across the night and shook the Utonium house to its core, causing the girl to pull the sheet over her head as the footsteps continued. A nails-on-chalkboard sound started up, as if something was running its claws along the glass of the window.

Bubbles' pulse pounded in her ears and she held her breath, waiting for the infected to move on so she could wake Boomer and tell him there was something outside. The outskirts were no longer safe; the infected were finally here.

When the heavy breathing mercifully moved farther and farther away, Bubbles allowed herself to breathe again. She knew there had to be others out there... Where there was one, there had to be many.

It was at that moment a familiar little blue light began to flash from her phone. She picked it up as quietly as she could and turned it on, rushing to swipe up when she saw who the text was from.

...Make 'text' plural; over fifty unread text messages from both her sisters sat waiting for her, all with different dates on them from the past week. Her inbox was full of voicemails from Buttercup and Bubbles desperately wanted to open them, to hear her sister's voice, but she had to stay as quiet as possible. She decided to look through the text messages, her stomach turning slightly with anxiety as she read the ones that loaded successfully.

 _Buttercup: 'Are U still home?'_

 _Blossom: 'Bubbles, please text me when you get this.'_

 _Buttercup : 'Bubbles call me, plz.'_

 _Blossom: 'Hey, how are you doing? Did the rescue team get there yet?'_

 _Buttercup: 'Text back if you get this.'_

 _Blossom: 'We lost power. Please call me if you can.'_

 _Buttercup: 'Where R U? How R U? Plz let us know asap. Miss U kiddo.'_

 _Blossom: 'Please call or text us asap.'_

 _Buttercup: 'Things R getting bad out there. Be careful.'_

 _Blossom: 'Are you still home? Please, Bubbles, let me or BC know what's going on. We're worried.'_

 _Buttercup: 'Call/text us when U get this.'_

She chewed her lip at Buttercup's text. What exactly was going on outside the zones that constituted her saying that things were getting 'bad'? Things were already hellish and Bubbles was already on edge as it was, so how could things possibly get worse? Besides the obvious, of course...

Her sisters' texts were not alarming—in fact, they only appeared to be trying to get in touch with her and see how she was faring—but sent chills down her spine all the same. Why wasn't her stupid phone working right? If she had gotten these a few days ago, she would have responded immediately! Her family was probably worried sick about her... Were they doing okay themselves? Were they still surviving? How safe were the evacuation zones? She had so many questions and so little answers that she began to get a slight headache from her brain's over-exertion.

She listened for that tell-tale heavy breathing outside. When she couldn't hear anything save for the rain and occasional low rumbles of thunder, she opened a group message that included both her sisters and tapped out 'I'm OK, still home, love you guys, hope to C U soon.' The message claimed it was trying to send, so she clicked her phone off and continued to listen to the sounds of the night, hoping the text managed to reach them.

Another loud burst of thunder rocked the house and she barely suppressed a frightened yelp. However, the thunder was nothing compared to the blood-curdling screeches that rose up in response to the din of the storm. Bubbles knew the infected screamed whenever something caught their interest, if that first infected man she'd encountered was anything to go by, and she wouldn't be concerned but there was one problem.

The screeches were coming from nearby.

Throwing caution to the wind, Bubbles sat up and shook Boomer's leg as hard as she could. He snorted in his sleep and stirred, moving onto his side.

"Boomer," she hissed. "Boomer, _wake_ _up!_ "

He stirred again, though this time, his eyes cracked open. He squinted at Bubbles with confusion.

"Wha...?"

"Boomer, they're _here!_ " she whimpered, her voice barely audible. Miraculously, he understood the panic in her hushed tone and remained quiet, simply sitting up to regard her curiously. The fog of sleep was probably still clouding the part of his mind that would recognize what she meant by 'they.'

Before he could reply, another piercing shriek rang out through the neighborhood. It sounded like it was coming from the area Boomer lived in and his expression morphed into one of terror when he realized this.

" _Shit!_ I need to get home." He kicked the sheet off and went to stand but Bubbles grabbed his arm, her nails digging into the skin painfully. He hissed softly and she loosened her grip, muttering an apology.

"Get your shoes on," he whispered. "We have to go."

"Boomer, if we go outside, they'll _kill_ us!"

"But my brothers—"

"But what about _us?_ "

He faltered. "I have to warn them, Bubbles."

"One of them is keeping watch tonight, right?" she asked, still clinging to his arm. "They'll see the infected and if not, then they'll hear the screams. Butch and Brick are smart, they'll know what to do, but we need to stay quiet and hide right now."

"But—"

"Boomer, _please_ ," she pleaded. Hysteria and pure terror threatened to seep into her hushed voice. "Please, for once just listen to me! If anything happened to you and I could have prevented it, I'd never forgive myself. You're my friend and I don't want anything bad to happen to you, so please, _please_ just wait here until morning..."

A sob caught in her throat and he reluctantly sat back down. He surprised Bubbles by pulling her onto his lap, where he wrapped his arms around her and ran a hand through her hair.

"Alright, I'll stay," he assured her. "Please don't cry."

"I'm sorry," she sniffled, wiping at her eyes. "I know you want to help your brothers and I get it, but right now, with those things out there, it's not safe... A-and I'm scared of losing you, Boomer."

He continued stroking her long golden locks as she regained her composure. When she was finally calm, he let out a sigh.

"You're probably right... About not going out there right now, I mean. It would be stupid of me to just take off, plus if those things see me, there's a chance they'd follow me right to my brothers."

Another horrifying screech pierced the night, many more in response to it, and they both flinched, Bubbles immediately throwing her arms around Boomer as she buried her face in his shoulder. He tightened his hold around her protectively and the action would have made her blush profusely if she wasn't terrified out of her mind right now.

They listened as wet footsteps trekked around outside, not quite next to the living room window as Bubbles heard before, but around nearby houses. It was only when the storm began to ease up and the pouring rain became a gentle drizzle that the infected seemed to retreat back to wherever they came from. No further screeches disturbed the otherwise quiet night.

Bubbles realized she was still clinging onto Boomer and blushed, moving to sit beside him instead of on his lap. She couldn't see it, but he was blushing, too. Neither of them wanted to make things weird, but it had been pleasant to be together even though danger lurked right outside. There was something comforting about not having to be all alone, especially when monsters were right around the corner. Bubbles liked the feel of Boomer's arms around her, and Boomer liked holding her.

But now was not the time for warm fuzzy feelings or crushes. They had a much bigger issue to worry about.

"They're finally in the outskirts," she murmured. "This isn't good."

"We'll have to be extra careful," Boomer agreed, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. "Oh man, and to think we were having a great time goofing around yesterday.."

Bubbles' face fell at his words. Their peace had been fleeting and she had taken it for granted. Now there was no guarantee that they could have any sort of escape from their twisted reality. Not when the infected were literally right outside her door...

"Well, then again, maybe it's not all bad," he continued. "Maybe they'll only come out at night, so there's a chance we could still use the community pool every now and then."

"Sure." Bubbles' voice cracked with anguish and he pulled her into a half-hug.

"It'll be alright, Bubbles, we'll figure things out. It's gonna suck to wait for the sun to come up, though. I don't know about you, but I'm shaking right now."

True to his word, his hands were trembling. Bubbles took them into her own and tried to steady them, which only made Boomer blush again.

They didn't speak for the rest of the night, merely sitting together and listening for more sounds of the infected. Occasionally, Bubbles would squeeze his hands gently and he would return the gesture. The action was simple but it was a way for them to communicate 'I'm here' and 'I know, I hear it, too.'

Bubbles dozed off right before the sun came up, her eyes falling closed as she leaned fully against him. Boomer was barely managing to keep his own eyes open when thin lines of sunlight peeked from around the covered windows.

He turned to remark that it was morning at last when he realized Bubbles was asleep, and he took the chance to really look at his companion. Her silken hair spilled around her shoulders like a waterfall of the finest gold. A few freckles dusted across her cheeks and her lips, full and petal-pink, looked perfectly kissable. Boomer knew Bubbles was a pretty girl, but he had never been able to really drink in her beauty like he was now.

He reached over to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She was truly beautiful, a perfect girl who probably never had a problem finding a date when life was normal. She may be overly-cautious and, at times, a bit of a killjoy, but Boomer liked that about her. While he sometimes got his head stuck in the clouds, she always helped him come back down to earth.

And sometimes, if he was lucky, he was able to see glimpses of the carefree, happy girl she had been before the outbreak hardened her. He wanted to see that side of her more often, and he hoped he could continue to be with her, to make her laugh and show her that as harsh as the world might be, there was always a silver lining if you looked hard enough.

Finally, after allowing himself to admire her for a little longer, Boomer knew it was time to wake her. He had to get to Brick and Butch and let them know that the infected were no longer confining themselves to the city; they were going to have to take more precautionary measures and be extra careful. He could practically hear the safety lectures from Brick already.

"Bubbles?" He gently shook her awake and she stirred. The girl slowly opened her eyes, a pair of ice-blue orbs that were still hazy with sleep. Boomer tried not to blush.

 _She's so freaking adorable._

"We made it through the night," he said. "I have to get home and check on my brothers... Do you want to come with me, or do you want to stay and hold down the fort?"

She yawned. "I'll go with you." Then, upon spotting her cell phone laying where she'd left it last night: "Do you mind if I charge my phone at your house?"

"Not at all, feel free." The outside world was uncharacteristically silent but both of them knew why. What insect or animal would want to make any noise when there were monstrosities on the prowl? At this point, it was survival of the fittest and no creature would want to suffer the same fate those poor folks at City Hall had.

Boomer stood up and stretched, his joints popping as he did so.

"Come on, let's go get ready and then we'll head to my place. If I know my brothers, they'll give us the third degree as soon as we tell them what happened." He made a face, his tongue gliding over his teeth. "And to be honest, I'd really like to get all this grime and sugar off my teeth before Brick hammers me with questions."

Bubbles couldn't agree more, her own mouth feeling gross from eating all that candy last night.

At least the sleepover had been fun before the infected showed up.


	10. Chapter 10

**Would you guys believe me if I said this was actually the first horror story I've ever written? I absolutely love this genre but I've never tried my hand at it before... So hopefully I'm doing it justice!**

 **Thank you for your reviews! :D**

 **I apologize if there are any errors. Still recovering from my head injury so even though I may have checked this chapter multiple times and tweaked it, I may have accidentally missed a thing or two. Sorry in advance! I'll go through again later to ensure this chapter is nice and polished; in the meantime, I hope you guys continue to enjoy the story! :)**

* * *

 **.: 10 :.**

Brick paced in front of the coffee table, a troubled expression on his slightly intimidating features. Butch leaned against the arm of the couch wearily, a soft yawn escaping him while Boomer and Bubbles sat on the opposite sofa, both giving the red-haired male their full attention.

After filling Brick and Butch in on all that happened last night, both brothers were at a loss. Butch had no idea what to say; he was still half-asleep from the nap they'd woken him from. Brick, on the other hand, began to pace, occasionally wringing his hands.

"I _thought_ I heard weird stuff happening last night," Brick muttered. "This is bad, guys. If they're in the neighborhood, it's only a matter of time before they sniff us out. When that happens... Well, I don't wanna stick around and find out."

"I'm surprised we weren't sniffed out last night," Bubbles piped up. "If I'm right, there was one right outside my house."

"The humidity was pretty high last night," Butch stated. "And you know when it's humid, there's lots of crap in the air like pollution and stuff. Maybe the bad air quality masked you guys somehow."

That was a valid theory. If Butch was correct, then it was a _huge_ blessing that a violent thunderstorm had rocked through Townsville; otherwise, she and Boomer might have suffered a horrible fate if that infected had discovered them.

"Yeah, but even if that's what actually happened, it's not safe anymore," Brick pointed out. "I thought maybe with the military and the evacuation zones, we would be alright, that they would get a handle on the outbreak and some kind of normalcy would be restored, but everything keeps getting worse. We need to get our hands on some weapons or, better yet, we need to get out of here."

"And go where?" Butch scoffed. "You know it's only a matter of time before the evacuation zones get overrun, and you know damn well that when that happens, we'll be like sitting ducks if we're in one of them. When people panic, it only makes things worse; I don't know about you but I don't want to be there when people start freaking out once an infected breaks down their defenses.

"But the military is there," Boomer pointed out. "Don't you think they'd be able to protect the people there?"

"They can't even protect themselves let alone civilians," the dark-haired male snorted. "Let's say they fail, which they probably will since the infected have superhuman strength; after that, where do we go—back _here_? We're fucked either way."

Bubbles didn't like his words and Boomer noticed, placing a hand over hers. She smiled appreciatively at him, grateful for the comfort he was trying to offer, but she knew Butch was just as frustrated as Brick. This was a tricky situation and if they weren't careful, they would end up dead or part of the infected population. She may not like what he was saying, but she knew he was right. As safe as the evacuation zones were, they were safer on their own right now; if any of the infection managed to infiltrate the zones, people would panic and that would lead to more deaths, less time to escape with their lives intact, and less room to hide or run if the hysterical masses were clogging every possible exit.

In truth, Butch's pessimistic outlook was realistic. The old Bubbles would probably argue with him and try to make them see otherwise, that there was always hope... But she knew as well as they did that this situation could turn topside at any moment and once it happened, these might be their last days alive.

Brick, however, was less than thrilled with Butch's 'realism.'

"So what do you propose, Butch? That we just open our door and allow them to come kill us right now? That we give up since we're 'fucked either way?'" The redhead's eyes were blazing with fury as he motioned towards the door. "Because be my guest! Go out there and give up, but _I'm_ not gonna give in just because things look bleak. But hey, by all means, _go ahead._ "

Butch grumbled under his breath and looked away. The eldest Jojo brother pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to reign in his temper.

"Okay, look, I _know_ things look bad, but we might have a fighting chance if we get some weapons," he continued, his voice slightly gruff with irritation. "All our guns are in storage back at Citysville, but if we could somehow get our hands on actual firepower like that, we could protect ourselves until we're safely in one of the zones or in a different, safer location."

"But how are we going to do that?" Butch asked, cynicism still coloring his tone. "You saw what happened to our neighbors, and that was just the _beginning_ of the outbreak. That was them just trying to get to the evacuation zones, never mind trying to get their hands on weaponry. If they're in the neighborhood now and if Bubbles is right about them being able to walk around in the daylight, then it's only a matter of time before we end up—"

" _NO._ "

Boomer's uncharacteristically-sharp, icy tone silenced his older brother and caused all eyes to fall on him in astonishment. His lips were set in a thin line and his eyes, normally full of mirth and happiness, were stone-cold.

"We're _not_ going to die. We're going to make it out of here _alive_."

Butch looked like he wanted to argue otherwise but one glare from his younger brother and he cleared his throat, opting to let his gaze fall on the coffee table.

"Look, guys, I'm sorry, but I just don't see a way out of this," he admitted. "We're practically dead no matter which way you look at it. Why fight it?"

"Because we're _not_ dead."

Everyone's attention shifted to Bubbles. She swallowed nervously before continuing: "I mean, the situation _does_ look bad, but I think we can make it. We've lasted this long and even though it's a little different, even though those things finally made it to the outskirts, I think we can survive if we're smart about this. But just because things look bad, we shouldn't assume we don't have a chance; we have to at least try to figure a way out, and even if we die trying, at least we did the best we could."

"I know I'm certainly not going down without a fight," Brick agreed, appreciative of her optimism. "But we still need a plan."

But what plan could they come up with that didn't end in death or infection?

"Bubbles." At the sound of her name, she looked up, big baby-blues meeting a fiery gaze. "Does your father own any guns or keep any sort of weaponry in the house?"

She shook her head. "No. The only things we have that could be used as a weapon is my sister's baseball bat and the knives in our kitchen."

Brick cursed under his breath. "Knives and bats are great for close-combat but with how fast those fuckers are, we need long-range weapons to take them down."

"We could try the storage facility," Butch suggested. Bubbles was glad to hear that, for once, he wasn't trying to shoot down everyone's ideas. "It's a long trek and Citysville is probably swarming with infected, but if we're careful..."

Boomer and Bubbles shared an uneasy glance but the eldest Jojo brother seemed to be considering the idea.

"It's right on the outskirts of the city," he agreed. "And if we manage to get Mojo's old rifle collection, we'd be set."

"It's settled, then." Butch stood up. "Let's start getting some supplies together. The more time we sit here twiddling our thumbs, the more time the infected will have to take over the neighborhood before we can nudge 'em out properly."

"Whoa, whoa—wait a second." Boomer stood and Bubbles noticed his legs were trembling slightly. "How are you guys going to get there?"

"We'd walk." Butch made it sound like it was the most obvious answer in the world. "Those things are attracted to sound. There's no way we're taking my motorcycle or Brick's truck; they'd be on us in seconds."

"It'll be much easier to sneak by them on foot," Brick added. "It's dangerous in the sense that we won't have much to protect ourselves with, but without a vehicle, we can quietly sneak by them."

"But you guys said earlier that they can sniff people out. What good is sneaking around when they'll smell you coming a mile away?"

"That's why we'll bring a bunch of Mojo's old cologne bottles and make it hard for them to pinpoint where we are. Butch can also whip up a few stink bombs to throw them off if they're really persistent."

Boomer opened his mouth to argue further, but found that he had no more arguments left. Brick and Butch were clearly set on carrying out this new plan and would have an answer for anything he threw at them.

Feeling slightly defeated, he slumped back down against the sofa cushions. Bubbles placed her hand over his and he tried to smile at her attempt at comfort, but the bad feeling in his gut was making it hard for him to feel appreciative. Brick disappeared into the kitchen and returned minutes later with a map. He and Butch began to plan possible routes to the storage center, also taking care to plan out other ways to get there if there were too many infected in their path.

However, their voices were nothing more than background noise to Boomer, his thoughts dark. Brick and Butch seemed to know what they were doing, but if they failed, they would pay with their lives and he would be the last Jojo alive.

The thought made him feel sick.

* * *

It was almost one in the afternoon when Boomer decided he couldn't handle the worry that was continuously gnawing at his stomach. He knew Butch's idea was crazy, but it was crazy enough to work out in their favor if all went well. However, if something went wrong... He shuddered, not wanting to entertain the idea of his brothers never returning home.

Bubbles was downstairs charging her phone while Butch was in the kitchen taking stock of food and other things they'd need for the coming journey. Brick was upstairs grabbing a few other things they'd need and Boomer figured if he could reason with anyone, it was his oldest brother.

He found himself standing in front of the redhead's bedroom door, unsure of how to initiate the conversation. Brick must have sensed his brother's presence because he shoved a hoodie into his backpack before turning around.

"Yes?"

"Nothing." Boomer hesitated. "Well, actually..."

He entered the room, which was painted a rich red color with black accents, and sat on the neatly-made bed.

"You really think this plan will work?"

"It's risky, but it's necessary if we want to keep our necks intact. It's going to be dangerous and it'll be a miracle if we make it out alive, but it's the only chance we've got."

"Why not check the neighbor's houses for guns?"

Brick sent him a pointed look. "Dude, what do you think Butch and I were looking for when the outbreak began? No one in Townsville owns a gun; it's not like in Citysville where you constantly have to watch your back. We'd have better luck looking for weapons in the buildings there, anyway, considering most of their residents are trigger-happy."

He was right, of course, but Boomer didn't like the idea of his brothers risking their lives just for a bunch of guns. Suddenly, it dawned on him; why let his brothers go by themselves when he could lend them his help? And why hadn't he thought of this before?

"Well, if you guys think the storage center is our best bet..." He started for Brick's backpack. "Then I'll go with you."

Brick placed a hand on Boomer's shoulder and gently pushed him back.

"No. You need to stay here."

Boomer's mouth fell open. "What?"

"You heard me." Brick shoved a first-aid kit into his backpack. "Bubbles said there was a rescue team on their way. If she's right and they're not dead yet, you guys should be here when they arrive, that way if something happens to me or Butch, at least our deaths weren't in vain."

"But they _would_ be in vain, you moron! What good would it do if you and Butch go on this suicide mission and you don't make it back but we get out alive?" His eyes grew watery. "And what do we do if the team doesn't arrive? We'll die if we try to leave or if we stay! And even if we somehow stay alive... How am I supposed to live without you guys?"

Brick smiled sadly at his younger brother. "Listen, kiddo, you know Butch and I care about you. We don't always say it because, well, it's weird, but you know that we love you, and Mojo did too even though he was a hard-ass at times. Our deaths wouldn't be in vain because we would have died trying to ensure all of our safety, but if you two manage to survive even if we don't, that still counts for something. We need to at least try to get our hands on those guns because if we do, we'll have a fighting chance at protecting ourselves. You need to stay with Bubbles because even though she's a strong girl, she's got a good heart."

Boomer narrowed his eyes. "A good heart? What does that have to do with anything?"

"People with good hearts don't like hurting others even if those 'others' are trying to kill them, but when you have someone to protect and fight for, you'd be surprised what people would do to keep their loved ones safe. Now, I'm not saying you guys love each other or that _you_ don't have a good heart, you're probably the best person out of our family, but I'm saying this about Bubbles because she seems like the type who would hesitate if something tried to attack her."

"Dude, she nearly took my head off with a baseball bat the first time we met. Trust me, Bubbles can hold her own."

Brick raised an eyebrow. "So you're telling me that you'd rather leave her here all by herself?"

The blonde's cheeks grew pink with embarrassment. "N-no, that's not what I meant."

"Uh-huh." The redhead didn't sound convinced but continued. "My point in this is that you both seem to get along great and I have a feeling that if something were to happen, you two would look out for each other no matter what it took. When Butch and I leave, I'd feel better knowing that you two are sticking together instead of just leaving her, or even you, to fend for yourselves."

"But we're just two people!" Boomer argued. "You saw Bonsai Gardens; those things are fucking brutal! Don't you think we'd be better off with four people instead of two?"

"Boomer, don't you remember that one time Butch and I went out?" Brick asked. "Those things don't like it when there's more than one human walking around. They go after people that are all by themselves but they stay away from groups. Butch is a big dude and I think they can sense that he'd knock them into next week if they tried anything and you know I'm not exactly known for throwing soft punches, either. If he and I stick together, I think we'll be fine, and you and Bubbles need to do the same."

"But Brick, what if—"

Brick finished loading up his backpack with supplies and stood, sending a pointed look to his brother.

"Butch and I are going and you are going to stay with Bubbles. End of discussion."

"No..." The wounded, angry look on Boomer's face hurt Brick, but he refused to change his mind. "No, you can't go! You guys need to stay with us; all four of us need to stick together!"

"What if Butch and I are able to get our hands on some real weapons? We'd have a better chance of protecting ourselves if we got the stuff that's in storage."

"Take us _with_ you, then! There's safety in numbers!"

Brick shrugged on his backpack and readjusted his signature red baseball cap. "Like I said, someone needs to stay behind to wait for the rescue team. Besides, it's too dangerous for all of us out there; it'll be that much harder to sneak in and out successfully when we have to worry about four people instead of two. It's for the best that two of us go and two of us stay behind."

Boomer sank down onto the bed, defeat written all over his features. "But what if... What if when you get back, the rescue team has already picked us up? What then?"

"We'll find our way to you guys," Brick replied. He reached over and ruffled the blonde's hair, earning a cry of protest. "It might take us a bit longer to get to the zone where you guys are at, but we'll find a way somehow. You're not getting rid of us that easily."

It was then that the youngest Jojo brother lowered his gaze to his feet. He didn't like admitting defeat, especially not in front of his brothers, but damn it if he wasn't honest.

"I'm scared, Brick. I'm scared of losing you and Butch... You guys are all I have left."

"Hey, now, that's not true." Brick sat next to him and slung an arm around his shoulders. "Come on, you've got Bubbles. I don't know her too well but she seems like a sweetheart, and she seems to like you. And I know you, Boomer, you don't tend to sleepover at someone's house or spend an entire day with them if you don't like them. You and Bubbles seem to be good friends and I know that if you ever needed anything, Bubbles would have your back, no question.

"Besides, like I said, you're not going to lose us. Butch and I will be fine, we just have to be extra careful out there. Don't be scared, kiddo, just do your best to keep yourself and Bubbles safe while we're gone."

A tentative knock interrupted them and they both turned to see Bubbles standing in the doorway, her big blue eyes wide with concern.

"Sorry, is this a bad time?"

"Not at all, I was just getting ready to leave." Brick pulled Boomer into a half-hug, clapping him on the back. "Think about what I said, kiddo. Don't do anything stupid while we're gone."

Butch appeared next to Bubbles, a backpack slung over one shoulder while a baseball bat was strapped to his back much like a scabbard would be. He nodded towards the oldest Jojo brother.

"You ready to rock?"

"Yup, let's roll." He started to head towards Butch when he paused, turning back to Bubbles. "Oh, actually... Bubbles, before we go, there's something I'd like to ask of you."

She blinked. "What is it?"

He placed a hand on her shoulder, his eyes swimming with sadness. He knew something that she didn't and it bothered her; what could make Brick Jojo, the leader of his brothers and the most calm and rational of them, so upset?

"You and Boomer have to stay behind for the rescue team. I don't care if you stay here or at your place; I'm leaving that decision up to you two. No matter what happens, please look out for each other. Be careful, don't take stupid risks, and protect each other no matter what it takes. Boomer can handle himself and I know you can hold your own as well, so you two need to work together in order to survive.

"Butch and I shouldn't be more than a few days, maybe even a week or so if we run into a few obstacles along the way, but no matter what happens, take care of each other. Please."

 _No matter what happens._ Bubbles didn't like the way his words sounded. Did Brick think they were going to get killed? Did he think that she and Boomer would be left the sole survivors of the Pokey Oaks region; is that why he looked so dismal?

Nevertheless, Bubbles gave a determined nod.

"Of course. You have my word."

Brick squeezed her shoulder one last time before he and Butch gave Boomer one last hug. The blonde wanted to protest, to fight them about their decision to leave, but a warning look from both young men silenced any arguments before he could voice them. As they all went downstairs and headed towards the front door, all he managed to choke out was a "Please be careful," and then they left.

Bubbles and Boomer watched them as they headed down the street in the direction of what used to be brooding, busy Citysville. It was a shame they couldn't take Brick's car, but the redhead's reasoning of the infected being attracted to sound was solid. It was for the best they set out on foot; it was their only hope of keeping a low profile.

Once Butch and Brick disappeared into the distance, Bubbles was startled by Boomer launching his fist at one of the walls, leaving a decent-sized dent in the drywall. Furious tears streaked down his cheeks and he growled at the pain, his knuckles bloody when he pulled his hand back.

Bubbles approached him cautiously. "Boomer?"

"I'm just... Upset," he ground out. "Give me a minute. Please."

She obliged him and turned back to peek out the window, attempting to give him some semblance of privacy. She heard a few angry sniffs and a much more feeble swipe at the wall. When Boomer was a little more composed, he sank onto one of the sofas and leaned his elbows on his knees, covering his face with his hands.

Bubbles sat down next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. When he didn't pull away or make any indication that her touch was unwanted, she began to rub slow circles into his back, right between the shoulder blades. Boomer relaxed slightly, but remained tense for the most part.

They sat in silence for a little while, Boomer trying to regain control over his emotions while Bubbles attempted to console him. When he finally uncovered his face, he wiped the tears out of his eyes and let out a long sigh.

"They'll be okay," Bubbles offered. "Your brothers are the toughest guys I've ever met. If anyone can do this, they can."

"I know." His voice cracked but he straightened, not quite angry with his brothers but immensely frustrated with the situation. "I _know_ they can do it, I'm just..."

He didn't need to finish his sentence. Bubbles knew he was scared of losing the only family he had left. It was the same fear that had haunted her when she first discovered she was alone, left to fend for herself in a new world that mirrored the one she was used to only in terms of appearance.

Boomer didn't realize it, but he'd brought a lot of hope back into her life. One of the reasons she was so grateful to have met him was the fact that he had a positive attitude, even in the face of danger. Was he scared? Sure; anyone would be frightened beyond their wits at what they were up against. But he also refused to let his fear change him, and that was no small feat; Bubbles had once been like him, a happy-go-lucky person with a radiant smile and a giving heart, but not anymore. After witnessing the horror the infected were capable of creating... That sweet girl she used to be was gone and Bubbles didn't know how to get her back.

Did she even want to go back to who she was? Bubbles hated being overly-cautious and fearful, but it was those two qualities that had kept her alive so far. Who knows what would have happened if she had actually spoken up that one time she encountered an infected? If she hadn't been paralyzed with fear, her life would have been snuffed out the moment the sickly man had heard her speak.

However, Boomer was not used to behaving the way she had become accustomed. He lived in the illusion that everything was fine when it wasn't, and pretended that nothing could hurt him when nothing could be further from the truth. He was getting a nasty taste of reality right now and Bubbles' heart hurt for him.

"What can I do to help you feel better?" Bubbles asked. Boomer wiped the tears from his eyes and swallowed thickly.

"Nothing. I'm fine."

"Bullshit." He looked up, a tad surprised to hear her swear, and was even more surprised when she pulled him into a hug.

"I know how you're feeling. You're scared of losing them." At her words, Boomer closed his eyes to prevent more tears from overflowing. He hated the fact that he was crying, especially in front of Bubbles, and he wished he could get a handle on his emotions before she started thinking he was weak... if she didn't think so already.

She pulled back after a moment and lowered her gaze to the floor. "When I realized I was all by myself, I didn't know what to do. I was _terrified_. I don't know how to fight and I had no idea what was going on, and then when I first saw an infected and then Buttercup called me and screamed at me to stay inside..."

She took a deep breath. "Not a day passes when I don't worry about them. Sometimes I'm scared that I'll wake up and learn that there isn't a rescue team, or that there's no one left in the world but you and me. It bothers me that if something were to happen to my family, I never got the chance to tell them how much I really love them."

Bubbles smiled then, her own eyes becoming wet. "And I never got to tell Buttercup I'm sorry for all those times I raided her Halloween candy stash and took all the Reese's cups, or Blossom for accidentally losing her favorite pen, or the Professor, for sometimes blowing up the kitchen when I tried to learn how to cook. I once set the stove on fire and it singed his eyebrows off... It took forever for them to grow back and Blossom had to pencil them in for him until they did. I felt horrible that it happened but it was hilarious, seeing him walk around with these huge, cartoony eyebrows... That was before Blossom knew how to draw eyebrows properly."

Boomer snorted, but a hint of a smile played on his lips.

"So, I get it, okay?" Bubbles continued, patting him on the back. "You're terrified and you have every right to be. But I'm going to turn your advice back to you: try not to worry so much. I know that's easier said than done, but what good is it going to do if you're sitting here fretting and worrying yourself sick? Brick and Butch said that we should stick together and do what we can to survive, so we should do as they say."

"But your family is in the evacuation zone," Boomer argued, cutting his eyes at her. She nearly flinched but understood he was just frustrated; she would be, too, if she was in his position. "They're _safe_. They're not going toe-to-toe with infected right now."

"You don't know that. For all I know... For all I know, my family is dead."

Ah, and there was that third quality that had seeped into Bubbles' personality: realism. As a child, even as a teenager, she had always been able to pretend that life was like a movie; happily ever afters, heart-warming moments between family and friends, determination and steadfast courage during hard times. Blossom always warned her from getting her head stuck in the clouds and she never listened until the clouds disappeared and she landed harshly on the asphalt below. Bubbles could no longer pretend that the world was okay when adrenaline and terror pumped through her veins at every sound of the night.

And although it was a messed up thing to say... She knew it _was_ realistic. It was completely possible that her family _hadn't_ made it. They could be a part of the infected population as she sat there with Boomer.

Bubbles' eyes began to water and she quickly stopped that train of thought before it could get worse. Okay, so she was realistic to a fault. But still... Assuming her family was safe when they could very well be dead was foolish.

Boomer seemed to snap out of the funk he was in because his gaze softened and he turned away.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I know I'm wallowing in self-pity right now. It's just that, this is..."

He bit his lip and Bubbles continued rubbing his back, silently encouraging him to continue. After a moment of gathering his thoughts, he did.

"This is my worst fear come true. I know that you're here with me and I don't want you to think that I don't _want_ to be with you, you're a great friend and I've had a blast getting to hang out with you, but... Ever since I was a kid, I've been terrified of being alone, of losing my family. I'd rather die with them than be left behind.

"I know that Mojo is basically dead," he pressed on, even though Bubbles could tell it pained him to do so. "The father I knew is gone and whatever is running around the city is just a body gone haywire, but Brick and Butch... What if they don't make it? I'm _scared_ , Bubbles. I don't know if I can handle losing them. It was hard enough to lose Mojo but I had my brothers to help me through it, but if I lost them, too..."

Boomer closed his eyes and sniffled, and Bubbles took the opportunity to pull him into a hug. He held onto her tightly as if she would disappear if he didn't.

"If it makes you feel any better," she replied. "I'm scared of being alone, too. My sisters have always been stronger than me, and smarter at times, and I know that if anything ever happened to them or my father... Well, it's not exactly something I like to think about. I don't think I could go on if I lost them. I can be strong because I'm holding out hope that I'll see them again someday but if I find out something happened..."

She cleared her throat, fighting back her own tears. "A-anyway, my point is that I get it. There _is_ a possibility that they won't make it, but there's also a possibility that they'll survive and I'll get to see them again. I obviously don't know Brick and Butch as well as you do, but I know that they're strong and they're the type to overcome anything life throws at them. Worrying and fretting about them won't do anything but leave you at risk; what if an infected got into the house and attacked you and you were so busy worrying over them that you couldn't fight back? What would your brothers do if they returned to find you dead or infected?"

He didn't reply but her words caused twinges of guilt to stab at his gut.

"Okay, so maybe that was a little harsh," Bubbles amended. "But what I'm saying is, I _know_ that it's hard right now. You don't want anything bad to happen to them and I don't either, and I definitely don't want anything bad to happen to my family, but sitting here and worrying won't change a thing. You're not alone, Boomer; I know I'm not you're family, but I'm _here_. It wasn't necessary for Brick to ask me to look after you since I was already planning on helping you guys in any way I could, but no matter what happens, you still have me and I know I still have you. We need to stay alive and make it count, if not for ourselves... Then for the people we care about.

"It's perfectly understandable to be upset and scared," she finished. "But don't let your fear control you. Isn't that what you told me once? If we let our fears rule over us, we'll be dead before we can even try to fight for our lives. Have faith in your brothers and in the meantime, let's work together to do our part and stay alive."

When Bubbles finished speaking, Boomer didn't reply right away; in fact, she thought maybe he'd fallen asleep against her. However, Boomer sniffled one final time before he sat up, wiping the remaining tear tracks from his face.

"You're right. I'm sorry, I-I just.."

"No apology necessary. Let's just figure out what we're going to do while they're gone."

The sun was setting outside and Bubbles chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. "And I think I know a good place where we can start: I have a hunch that scavenging is going to be much more of a challenge now that we've got new neighbors and there's still the matter of figuring out which house we're going to stay in. We're going to need a plan of our own if we have any hopes of keeping a low profile while keeping our food supply from running out."

"You know the city better than I do," Boomer admitted. "I only know certain areas, like the neighborhood and where Bonsai Gardens is, but the city is kinda easy to get lost in. I don't know it all that well, not like Citysville."

Bubbles grinned. "No problem, we can work with that. You can sketch out a map of the neighborhood and I know my family has a map of the city somewhere in the house. And we should probably start taking stock of how much food and water we have, plus batteries for flashlights, candles, first aid, medicine..."

It was then that Boomer noticed the time. "Before we go any further, I don't know if you noticed, but it's practically nighttime... Did you want to stay here or do you want to go back to your place?"

She paused. What were the odds that the rescue team would show up tonight, of all nights? And honestly, with how quickly night was falling it might be too dangerous to venture to her house now.

"I don't mind staying here," she replied, even though she was anxious to return home. It _would_ be her luck that the rescue team arrived tonight, the one time she wasn't home... But, she reminded herself, there were bigger things to worry about at the moment.

"You sure?"

Bubbles nodded. "Let's start mapping everything out. The sooner we get the rough draft out, the sooner we can polish it and work out any potential problems that might come up."

While Boomer ran to get paper and pencils, Bubbles grabbed her phone and quickly typed out a message to both sisters. She wasn't sure if they would receive it, but it was worth a shot.

 _Met a friend, staying with him. Infected are now in neighborhood but we're OK. Here's his address just in case..._


	11. Chapter 11

**Wow so this update is super late. Sorry for the wait, everyone! And thank you to those who faved and left reviews, you guys are the real MVPs!**

 **Especially you, Wxnderland, your review made me smile from ear-to-ear when I first read it! Thank you so much for reading and for your kind words, your review really made my day! :D**

 **As always, I apologize in advance if there are any errors.**

 **Actually that reminds me, I've been thinking of changing this story's name. I'll put an author's note if it does change, just to give everyone a heads-up.**

 **School starts up for me this week so I can't say when the next update will be (my schedule will be very busy unfortunately) but I will do my best! I absolutely love writing this story and any chance I get, I'll try to continue working on it. Hope everyone is doing well, and hope you enjoy! xoxo**

* * *

 **.: 11 :.**

That night, Bubbles decided to take the first watch.

Boomer was exhausted after all the anguish and worry he'd felt earlier and although he'd protested that he was fine, Bubbles insisted she take the first shift of the night while he got some much-needed rest. It wouldn't do them any good if he was worried, distracted by said worry, _and_ running on zero sleep.

After going back and forth about it for a few minutes, Boomer relented and they grabbed a few snacks and water bottles before heading up to the attic, where Bubbles was surprised to find a series of windows that spanned the entire dome of the attic. They had a 360-degree view of the neighborhood and, from this vantage point, she could just make out her house in the next street over.

"We're safe up here because the windows are tinted," Boomer had explained, answering her question before she could even ask it. "So we can see them, but they can't see us."

It was perfect for keeping an eye out for any infected that happened to wander around Boomer's street, and it felt nice to finally be able to walk around without constant fear of being spotted by one of those monsters.

Boomer brought up a bunch of pillows and blankets to create a makeshift sleeping area. He tried, one final time, to reason with Bubbles that he could take first watch and that she should rest, but one severe look from his friend and he sighed, giving in once more.

"If you need anything, even if it's just someone to talk to, just let me know," he offered, curling up on his side. "I'm a real light sleeper so it won't take much to wake me up."

With one final yawn, he was out cold in less than a minute. Bubbles smiled softly upon seeing his relaxed, peaceful expression, glad she'd been so insistent on taking first watch. The poor guy deserved some rest considering he would be spending all his waking hours fretting about his siblings.

Before any words were spoken about staying up and keeping watch for infected, they both had taken stock of their supplies. They had more than enough food to get them through two weeks if they rationed their meals wisely, they had lots of first-aid stuff handy just in case any accidents happened, and as long as they stayed at Boomer's house, they would have electricity and hot water for as long as the sunny weather continued.

However, they decided to take turns with the houses. One night they would stay at Bubbles' house, the next, Boomer's. They figured that if the rescue team did show up, they at least had half of a chance to be there to meet them. On the nights they would stay at Boomer's place, she would leave behind notes giving his address and that they were still alive, still waiting to be rescued. It gave her peace of mind and it was practical, for the most part; they'd have electricity to keep her phone up and running—which was crucial if she had any hopes of getting an update from her sisters—and they'd be able to keep an eye out for the rescue team.

Minutes turned into hours, which slowly ticked by. Bubbles was never one to stay up late but she forced herself to stay awake, if not for her own sake then to make sure nothing happened that could put Boomer in danger.

When two o'clock rolled around, Bubbles yawned for the umpteenth time and wearily scanned the neighborhood. A few infected were walking around aimlessly, not quite attacking anything or acting aggressively. Actually, it was perplexing, but a few of them were sitting around on the street with their arms wrapped around their knees, as if something was upsetting them and they were trying to comfort themselves.

One thing that really rattled Bubbles was that some of them were trying to get into the houses, but not forcefully. Some were actually trying to _open_ doors but either the infection had scrambled their brains and they couldn't remember how to turn a doorknob or—and Bubbles was pretty sure _this_ was the actual case—they didn't smell prey inside and decided it wasn't worth the effort.

Nevertheless, the sight of the infected acting so human made Bubbles shiver; had any tried to get into _her_ house? She was suddenly glad she'd decided to stay at Boomer's for the night, and she wondered if maybe it would be a better idea to stay here instead of go back to her empty abode.

She yawned again and readjusted so that she was sitting Indian-style in her chair. Pretty soon she would be waking Boomer to take over watch; she couldn't wait to get some rest herself. Her nerves were so shot from constantly being on-edge and keeping a lookout over both this street and hers (or what she could see of her street, anyway) that

As she stared up at the twinkling stars above, she nearly jumped out of her skin when a warm hand rested on her shoulder. She whipped around, a scream threatening to explode from her mouth if it was one of those monsters, but her scream died in her throat when she realized it was only Boomer.

"Sorry," he whispered before a yawn interrupted him. "Didn't mean to scare you. I'll take over now; you should get some rest."

Bubbles nodded. After all the spikes and dips of adrenaline from seeing infected wandering around (sometimes too close to Boomer's house for her liking), she was more than ready to pass out for a good few hours.

She stood up and stretched, her joints popping noisily.

"I swear, you'd think I was seventy instead of nineteen," she grumbled softly, though Boomer heard her and chuckled.

Once her arms fell back to her sides, the exhaustion really set in and she curled up where Boomer had been sleeping, the pillows still warm from his body heat. The makeshift bed also smelled faintly of him and, although she knew it was probably weird, it felt comforting to have that minty scent wrapped around her. Once she was comfortable, it only took half a second to conk out.

* * *

Boomer stretched his arms above his head before sneaking a glance at Bubbles' sleeping form. Once again, he found the sight adorable; her lips were slightly parted as she slept, her chest rising and falling with each gentle breath. Her hair, although tied back in her signature pigtails, was somewhat messy yet also irresistibly cute.

He forced himself to look away knowing his cheeks were warm with blush. Dang it, he needed to stop doing that; Bubbles was a pretty girl and yes, she was a wonderful person, but she didn't look at him that way. Not that he looked at her in that way either, but still...

He shook those thoughts away. How many times did he have to go through this with himself? Besides, Bubbles was much more interested in getting out of their situation alive than she was in looking at Boomer as a potential date. Not that she was wrong for being in total survival mode, he couldn't exactly blame her, but... Damn it, he needed to stop with this.

Boomer forced himself to look outside to the dark streets below. His vision wasn't perfect due to Butch's multiple dares to stare at the sun when they were kids, but he could just make out the figures of infected wandering around. He found it odd that some of them were sitting with their arms wrapped around their knees, almost in the fetal position. What the heck was going on out there? Were those things injured and, if so, did that mean they could still register pain? Why were they even sitting like that in the first place?

The action of sitting like that made them look almost human. If it weren't for the glowing red eyes, horrific ability to kill off an entire population without cause, or the animalistic roars, he'd think they actually _were_ human.

Bubbles mumbled something in her sleep and his attention temporarily refocused on her. When he turned back to looking at the streets below, he noticed one particular infected wandering a little too close to his house for comfort.

The male sniffed his way up the front lawn and paused at the front door. He paced around the stoop a few times before letting out a loud growl, alerting the others. Cold adrenaline rushed through the blonde's veins and he stood as quietly as possible, ready to grab Bubbles and haul ass out of there if that thing decided to break down the front door.

A few more infected gathered around the front lawn and Boomer was surprised to find that they weren't trying to bust through the windows or door like he'd watched them do when the outbreak first hit. His neighbors, bless their kindly souls, had been easily overtaken; no one in Townsville was mean or aggressive, which had seemed odd when they first moved there, and this lack of meanness meant that if someone tried to hurt them, they would not fight back. It didn't help that no one in Townsville locked their doors. The infected had waltzed into many homes without any form of resistance and stole civilian lives effortlessly.

In Citysville, a lot of people remarked that Townsville was full of sissies among other unkind words. It was a city too good to be true and everyone in Citysville reasoned that all that kindness, all those awards for being the greatest city to live in, the most beautiful place to visit, the friendliest place on earth... It had to be fake. No one was actually that sickly-sweet and kind. Not for free, anyway.

However, moving to Townsville had changed the Jojo family's perspective on what 'nice' meant. Their first day in the neighborhood, a bunch of people brought over pies and cakes and other little housewarming gifts, welcoming them to the city with open arms and genuine smiles. It had been weird at first and, if Boomer was being honest, he had wondered if Citysville wasn't far off the mark about all this kindness being a front. But living in this new city for one full week was enough to convince him that these people weren't sissies at all; they were just good souls that wanted a life of peace, a life away from the crime and smog and cruelty of the rest of the world. Townsville was a beacon of light in an ocean of darkness and good people flocked to the city like bees to honey. It all seemed unrealistic and it was strange that no bad people had snuck into the 'friendliest place on earth,' but then again, why would they? All this sickly-sweet, ooey-gooey kindness would be enough to drive evil people crazy... or at least give them a cavity.

All those sweet little old ladies, the soccer moms, the dads that enjoyed a good barbecue on the grill, the goofy little kids that always ran around the neighborhood getting into all sorts of good-natured shenanigans... They'd all been turned almost as fast as the infection had infiltrated Townsville. And once they were turned, their violence and aggression exceeded anything Boomer had ever seen in his life, and that said a lot considering people were killed left and right in Citysville if they so much as looked at someone the wrong way. The infected were frighteningly strong, kicking doors down and breaking through windows as if the hard material was a piece of tissue paper. They never hesitated, acting solely on instinct without any thought to repercussions or potential hazards to their bodies.

So why weren't these infected trying to do the same to his house?

The infected man in front of the door cocked his head to the side curiously, studying it as if trying to figure it out. Boomer would have snorted at the action if the situation wasn't so dire; in fact, if his brothers were here, he'd probably be making bets with them about Brick's traps sending this heathen packing.

And that's when it hit him: he hadn't reset the traps that Butch and Brick set up around the house. Cold sweat prickled at his spine and he prayed that thing didn't try anything to get inside. He and Bubbles might not make it out alive if those things busted through the door. Those traps were the only means of buying the blondes enough time to get out of dodge if shit hit the fan.

He sat perched on the edge of his seat, watching the infected intently. The man continued to pace around the front door, occasionally growling or letting out an annoyed grunt, but to Boomer's relief, he and the other infected soon lost interest and wandered away from the house.

When dawn arrived, all the infected slowly disappeared from sight, some taking refuge in nearby houses while others appeared to slink off towards the city. Boomer wasn't sure what to make of that but he made a mental note to tell Bubbles what he'd seen.

Speaking of which, the blonde was still out cold, completely clueless as to how close they had been to having their front door busted down. Boomer was suddenly glad she'd been asleep during that part of this stakeout; he hated it when she cried. Not that he blamed her for being upset, and he certainly wasn't annoyed with her when she cried, but it tugged at his heartstrings to see her look so broken. Bubbles was sweet and funny and she had to be one of the smartest girls he'd ever met, and to see someone as strong as her break down and completely lose it made _him_ want to break down and completely lose it, too.

He went downstairs and set to work on resetting all of Brick's traps so that they wouldn't run into this problem again, plus it gave him peace of mind to think that if any of those asshats came too close to the house or tried getting in, at least Boomer and Bubbles would get a heads-up instead of dealing with a potential ambush.

By the time it was mid-morning, all of the traps were in working order and Bubbles stumbled downstairs, rubbing her eyes adorably. Her hair was messy and there were dark circles under her eyes but she still looked as pretty as ever. And with that thought, Boomer mentally slapped himself.

 _Stop thinking like that._

"Morning!" he greeted. Bubbles yawned and offered a half-wave.

"Good morning. How was watch?"

"Oh, uh... About that..." He quickly filled her in on the one infected person that had been trying to figure out how to operate the doorknob and the news instantly woke her up, alarm replacing exhaustion.

"Do you think maybe we should stay at my place tonight?" she asked. "If they can smell us in here, maybe they'll come back and try to get in, but if they find that there's no one in here, there's a chance they'll give up on finding us."

It wasn't much of a plan but it was probably better than what Boomer could think of.

"I'm in. Plus if they smell us in this house and yours but can't find us, maybe they'll get confused and go back to the city."

Bubbles smiled weakly. "Here's hoping."

They made their way into the kitchen where they poured themselves cereal and had to use water instead of milk. It wasn't pleasant but it was better than nothing, so they ate their breakfast without complaint.

When Boomer had finished his last bit of cheerios, he remarked, "You know, if we stay at your place tonight, we should probably make sure it's reinforced against those things."

Bubbles nodded. "I was thinking the same thing, but I don't really know how to do that. And I don't know what to use, honestly... Should we board up the windows?"

"Nah." He waved her off. "That would just mean lots of noise, what with hammering nails and stuff, and if those things can walk around in sunlight like you said they can, then we need to stay quiet. We don't want to do anything that might alert them to our presence."

She chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. Boomer was right, of course, but how could they reinforce her house without using tools? She wished she could contact her sisters; maybe they'd be able to think of something.

Instead, she asked, "When do you think we should head over there?"

"How about noon?" he suggested. "That's when the sun is highest in the sky. We can sneak through the backyards."

"What if the infected are hiding in the houses, though?"

He grimaced. "Right... It's just that, what if they see us running to your house and remember it for later?"

Another solid point. Bubbles hated that every idea they had seemed to meet a roadblock.

"Do you think they're really that smart?"

"I really don't know but the fact that they knew enough to move into the neighborhood once the city was empty says they're smart enough to look for more prey when they've exhausted one area."

"Yeah but if they're operating on base instincts, then they may not notice _every_ little thing that happens; only the stuff that affects their survival."

Boomer mulled this over. "True... I wish we knew more about them. Like, why couldn't we have gotten a manual on how to survive these things? Now would be a great time to churn out zombie-survival books."

Bubbles chuckled. "At least we know a little bit about them. Better than nothing, right?"

A genuine smile lit up his face and she was taken aback for a moment, surprised to see him so radiant. She definitely wasn't complaining but wondered what she had done to deserve such a beautiful smile.

"It's good to see you finally looking on the positive side of things." He reached over and playfully pinched at her cheek. "I've been rubbing off on ya, haven't I?"

Bubbles laughed and swatted his hand away.

"Why do you always pinch my face?"

"Because you're cute."

The words slipped from Boomer's mouth before he could filter them and he turned red with embarrassment.

"Uh, I mean, it's just that—! I don't mean that in a bad way, I just... Sorry. That was awkward, huh?"

Bubbles giggled again. "Not at all. You're pretty cute yourself."

He covered his face with his hands. "I'm sorry. I know I'm a dork."

She drew him into a hug but Boomer kept his face covered, the tips of his ears beginning to match the red that was currently dusting across his cheeks.

"You don't have to apologize to me for everything you say," she assured. "We're friends, remember? You can say anything you want and I won't judge you."

Boomer eventually hugged her back, his ropey arms enclosing around her perfectly. Something about Boomer made her forget all about the apocalyptic situation they were in. With him around, everything felt normal again, like they were just two people hanging out. No infected, no lack of electricity... Just normalcy.

"Can't believe you said I'm cute," he mumbled into her hair, and it was Bubbles' turn to grow scarlet. Nevertheless, she was nothing if not an expert at flirting, even if she didn't realize she was being flirtatious.

"Well, if the shoe fits," she shot back, and her words made him hold her that much closer. It wasn't exactly a friendly squeeze; it was the type of hug between two people that liked each other romantically, like coming home to someone after a long day and basking in their comforting presence. Normally, if this was any other guy, Bubbles might make up some excuse to untangle herself and take an awkward step back, but with Boomer...

Shaking that thought away, she instead focused on how nice it felt to be frozen in time with him. How did that quote go? To stop time, you kiss someone? Something like that... She couldn't quite remember the specifics but she finally understood what it meant. Being with Boomer, in his warm sunshine-y presence, all time slowed to a comfortable halt.

Finally, time marched on and Boomer let go of her, rubbing his neck sheepishly as he always did.

"Sorry," he said, then, at Bubbles' look, he chuckled, "It's not that I'm sorry for hugging you or anything, it's just that I know I'm an awkward potato and I don't always think before I speak, plus I just hugged you and called you cute so you're probably thinking I like you like that, not that I do or don't or anything, but—"

Bubbles held up a hand, amusement clear in her ice-blue eyes. "Boomer, relax. We're cool."

He heaved a relieved sigh. "Okay, good. I just don't ever want to make things weird with you. You're kinda awesome, you know? And like my brothers said, we have to stick together, and that would be _really_ super difficult if you hated me."

"I could never hate you." _Quite the opposite, actually._

He laughed humorlessly. "I don't know. I've got some ex-girlfriends that might say otherwise."

Then, after face-palming, "Shit, sorry, I'm doing it again. My mouth is running a helluva lot faster than I can manage. Just ignore me." He cleared his throat. "Uh, so, about getting to your house...?"

Bubbles merely smiled, butterflies doing somersaults in her belly. He was cute when he was flustered.

Part of her warned against this, that it was stupid to start catching feelings for him when they could be ripped away from each other at any given moment. But how could she not? Boomer was funny, witty, handsome, and even though he could be a little awkward at times, his awkwardness was endearing. Boomer was a good person, that much she could tell, and she loved being his friend but a part of her wondered what it would be like to actually date him. If they had met under ordinary circumstances, she'd have freaked over how close he was to being her dream guy (not that awkwardness was one of the qualities her dream date had, but 'awkward' and 'genuine' usually went hand-in-hand; Boomer, although awkward at times, was a genuine person, and genuine was definitely a trait she valued).

And the part of her that sometimes gushed over him was the part she tried to ignore. Boomer mentioned he didn't want to make things weird between them and she didn't exactly want to do that either. It would suck to lose the one good friend she'd had since Robin moved in next door.

So... What should she do with these budding feelings then? Shoving them into a box and locking them away didn't seem to do any good, plus she had never been one to have good self-restraint; just ask her bank account. Any clothes she saw and liked, she bought first and thought about finances later. It took a lot of lectures from Blossom plus a semester in college for her to learn her lesson about spending responsibly.

"Bubbles?"

She snapped out of her thoughts. "Huh?"

"I asked if you thought we should pack some stuff just in case," he explained. Then, cocking his head to the side adorably, "You okay?"

"Yeah." She managed a weak smile. "Uh... I guess we could take a roundabout route to my house, just to throw them off if the infected keep an eye on where we go."

"Alright." He gave a determined nod. "Let's roll."

* * *

After filling their backpacks with as much food and supplies as they could carry, Boomer and Bubbles made sure the Jojo house was secure one last time before heading in the direction Brick and Butch had disappeared in only yesterday. They had grabbed what they could on the off-chance they wouldn't be able to return to Boomer's house, plus they weren't exactly sure if they could continue to pilfer stuff from Malph's. Who knew if the infected were hiding in there now, just waiting for some unsuspecting person to wander inside?

Boomer had grabbed his own baseball bat so they had another makeshift weapon in case any infected tried anything. It was safely secured to his backpack and easy to grab if he needed to use it.

As they walked down the street, the sight of Citysville on the far side of the horizon gave him pause but he kept up with Bubbles, refusing to allow any bad thoughts infiltrate his mind. He always lectured Bubbles about staying positive and he was determined to take his own advice. It also nagged at him that he'd broken down in front of her. Weren't men supposed to be strong? That was what Mojo always taught him, that men weren't supposed to cry (especially not in front of girls). How strong could he appear if he sat blubbering about his brothers? Bubbles wasn't judgemental or mean, but he still wanted to at least have the appearance that he had himself together. Especially since she herself was handling their situation like a warrior.

He knew there was no shame in crying but still, he didn't like to get emotional in front of other people, especially not cute blonde girls who were in the process of stealing his heart. Speaking of which, Bubbles walked slightly ahead of him, her expression of utmost focus. Boomer wondered what she was thinking about and wanted to ask, but there would be time for questions later. Right now, he knew, they had to be quiet, and so he kept to himself.

At the stop sign they usually met at, Bubbles nodded to Boomer and he took off down the opposite street that would have led him into Townsville. He was thankful he'd chosen to wear his ratty old Converse, as they didn't make any noise (unless, of course, he was in a gymnasium, but that was besides the point). He dashed down the neighborhood then made a right, heading down that street before going towards Townsville again, another left, then following that street towards the neighborhood area behind the street where Bubbles' house was.

He paused at one point to listen, straining his ears and doing his best to ignore the thundering pulse in his ears. When he was satisfied that nothing and no one was around, he took off again and ducked behind one of the houses, using parkour to maneuver his way through the line of backyards. He kept as silent as possible as he moved, pride rolling off of him when he managed to land softly on his feet after using a trampoline to get over a particularly high fence. Boomer was suddenly grateful for all those times Brick forced him to learn how to parkour without breaking his neck.

When he made it to Bubbles' backyard, she was already waiting by the kitchen door, her foot tapping anxiously. He hopped the fence and landed on his feet perfectly, much to his surprise and relief; it would have sucked if he spent all that time parkouring like a boss only to fall on his face in front of the one person he wanted to impress.

They entered the house and Bubbles set to work spraying Febreeze and Lysol in each of the rooms, a feeble attempt to throw off their scents but it was the only thing they could think of. Bubbles had no idea where her father kept his cologne and Blossom's fruity body sprays didn't last very long (not to mention they smelled delicious, which really wouldn't help their case), so this stuff would have to do.

After spraying enough Lysol and Febreeze to make their eyes water, Boomer and Bubbles made sure every possible opening—mostly windows and doors—was locked down and covered. Once everything was set in place and Boomer set a makeshift trap to alert them to any attempts to break in, they retired upstairs to Bubbles' room and heaved a sigh of relief.

"Do you think it was enough to throw them off?" Bubbles asked, collapsing onto her bed. Boomer sat on a bed covered in pink pillows and blankets and yawned, exhaustion seeping in after the adrenaline rush had died down.

"I hope so. We sure as hell sprayed enough Lysol." He coughed, still feeling the chemicals sitting in his lungs. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see, though."

Bubbles chewed her bottom lip nervously. "What happens if they find us anyway?"

"We fight them off or we die trying," Boomer promised. Then, upon taking in his surroundings, "Oh hey, speak of the devil, there's that bat you almost clobbered me with when we first met."

He motioned towards Buttercup's 'Big Bessie' and Bubbles giggled, an embarrassed blush tinting her cheeks.

"Sorry about that, by the way. I know that wasn't exactly a great way to start off our friendship."

"No need to apologize." Boomer laughed. "It's funny now, honestly."

Neither of them spoke for a few moments, both of them still trying to come down from the adrenaline high they'd experienced earlier. They weren't sure what they had been expecting to happen but at least none of the infected came barreling out of the houses to chase them. That's what Boomer reasoned to himself, anyway.

He closed his eyes and fell back against the bed, relishing the feel of the soft blankets beneath him. One of the pillows was fluffy and he reached out to touch it, not really sure what he was doing but rolling with it anyway. He chalked his weirdness up to the fact that 1) his brothers were still gone, and they were pretty much the ones to keep him grounded when his head shot up into space, and 2) this apocalypse was finally doing a number on his mental health. Bubbles did a good job of keeping him grounded as well, but he knew he wasn't one-hundred percent himself with his brothers currently in a lion's den of infected. Still, after her pep-talk last night, he was feeling a little bit better about the situation. Sure, he didn't have his family, but at least he wasn't completely all by himself. Boomer knew he would really lose his mind if he was the last man standing.

But at least Bubbles was here. She was great company even if they didn't say anything. Just being around her made him feel that much more okay about facing this new, dangerous world. They could very-well die tomorrow no matter what precautionary measures they took but at least they had each other. Dying alone was fucking miserable but dying alongside Bubbles, someone he was starting to think of as his best friend, wasn't the worst way to go.

Boomer forced himself to stop thinking about that. No, they wouldn't die, they would get through this alive and everything would be okay. It was not exactly easy to convince himself of that but if Bubbles could hold out hope, then he could, too.

It didn't take long for him to succumb to his exhaustion, the weight of all that had happened forcing him under a sea of black nothingness.

* * *

Both blondes were jolted from their dozing at the sound of unholy screeches arising from the neighborhood.

Bubbles scrambled for her baseball bat and Boomer had his own bat at the ready. They lowered their weapons when they realized the house wasn't under attack, instead opting to tune into their surroundings. It was nighttime now, inky darkness coloring Bubbles' bedroom completely. She couldn't believe they had napped for that long but after last night's long watch over the neighborhood plus the constant adrenaline spikes, she figured they both needed the rest.

At one point, Bubbles crept over to Blossom's old bed and sat next to Boomer, his hand immediately finding hers and giving it a comforting squeeze.

Hideous screams rose up and then, just as suddenly as they began, the neighborhood grew deathly silent again. Bubbles held her breath, wondering where the infected were and what they were plotting. She got her answer when an air horn went off in the next neighborhood over, a sign that something had tried getting into one of the Jojo house's kitchen windows.

The air horn's obnoxious (yet hilarious) blare continued for a good five minutes, battling with furious screeches of the infected, until the sound was suddenly cut off. Bubbles squeezed Boomer's hand this time and they exchanged an uneasy glance.

They waited anxiously, both of them feeling adrenaline threaten to kick in for the umpteenth time. Nothing but silence surrounded them, the night remaining eerily still as if nothing had interrupted it to begin with, until Boomer finally let out a long sigh.

"Good thing we decided to stay here tonight," he murmured. Bubbles hummed in agreement.

He got up to peek around the blanket that covered one of the circular windows, squinting in the direction of his house.

"Think they managed to get in?"

Glass shattered in the distance, along with a chorus of bloodcurdling, victorious-sounding whoops, screeches, and howls.

That was the only answer Boomer and Bubbles needed.


	12. Chapter 12

**Only the first week of school and I am exhausted. I tried to edit this to the best of my ability but, as always, I apologize if there are any errors I missed.**

* * *

 **.: 12 :.**

Blossom's eyes flew open at the sound of glass shattering, panicked screams piercing her deep sleep. It took a second for her to realize someone was shaking her and she scrambled to sit up, wide awake at this point as adrenaline and fear began flooding her system.

"Get up!" Buttercup growled. "Hurry, we don't have much time!"

The redhead was already pulling her shoes on as her younger sister hoisted a backpack onto the bed next to her. Buttercup shoved necessities inside, phone included, before zipping it shut and shrugging it on. The world outside of their assigned house was chaos: the sound of screams, shouts, objects being broken, and animalistic, guttural screeches telling the oldest Utonium daughter everything she needed to know.

The infected were here. Their zone, their last stand against these creatures and the last shred of humankind, had finally been overrun.

Blossom grabbed her own backpack and began filling it with any and all supplies she could fit. The sound of a door slamming shut downstairs caused both girls to freeze.

"Girls?" At the Professor's voice, relief flooded through both of them and they quickly finished packing their stuff, all-but sprinting down the hall. When they reached the top of the stairs, they saw the Professor leaning against the banister, blood and debris marring his face, clothes, and hair. He was panting, as if he'd sprinted all the way here from the outer edges of the evacuation zone.

"Are you okay?" Blossom asked, she and her sister immediately racing down to him. He didn't appear to be hurt but she wanted to make sure. "What happened? What's going on out there?!"

"I'm fine," he reassured, still trying to catch his breath. "We were working in the labs when suddenly the power flickered, and then—"

A loud boom rocked the house and they all jumped, Buttercup swearing loudly. The electricity clicked off and more screams tore through the air.

"Quick, we need to get out of here," he urged, and all three of them bolted for the backdoor. However, as soon as Blossom reached it and grabbed the doorknob to open it, something slammed against the other side of the door. She yelped and stumbled backwards, Buttercup catching her before she could trip over her own two feet. The Professor immediately stepped in front of both his daughters in an attempt to protect them, raising a hand behind himself as if to tell them 'stay back, I'll handle this.'

One of the infected, a woman by the looks of it, slammed her palms against the door and grinned maliciously at them through the dirty window, a delighted screech escaping her bloody lips. Her grin revealed abnormally-sharp canines poking out from her upper lip and if Blossom didn't know any better, she'd think the woman was a—

The woman threw herself against the door again, interrupting Blossom's thoughts, the infected female's guttural grunts and growls seeming to echo through the house. The Utonium family hurried back towards the front door and out onto the front lawn, where a new kind of horror greeted them.

The night, which had previously been calm and quiet, was lit up by the flames that were currently consuming the zone's many assigned houses. Thick clouds of smoke billowed up into the sky, shielding the stars from the atrocious events taking place below. Bodies lay strewn about, some burning, some mangled, others intact but covered in blood. Those who managed to survive were trying to outrun packs of infected, the creatures jumping, running, and even screaming victoriously as they hunted every last human being down.

Flickering embers floated through the air and they watched in muted shock as one of the houses that had been completely engulfed in flames caved in on itself, horrified, agonized screams piercing the air until the roof had caved in completely, forever silencing whoever had been trapped inside.

Blossom's pained, frightened expression mirrored Buttercup's and Professor Utonium's. How could their world be reduced to fire and brimstone like this? How was it that just weeks ago, they were planning a family vacation, thinking about their futures, spending money at the mall on clothes and shoes and perfume they didn't need but wanted anyway? They had been so carefree, eager to see what the future held in store, never once thinking that their world could become so dangerous, so full of death and destruction.

How? How could it all have changed into... _this?_

"Come on!" The Professor was the one to break the frozen stupor that had fallen over his daughters. "Follow me!"

He grabbed their hands and they stumbled before sprinting alongside him, all of them doing their best to maneuver around the bodies, the flames, the wreckage. A few infected spotted them and immediately gave chase, gaining on them easily as they ducked through an alleyway between two houses with burning roofs.

Clawed fingers brushed against Blossom's long hair, ready to grab the silky red strands and yank her backwards when a loud crack filled the air. A beam engulfed in fire fell onto the infected before it could properly grasp Blossom's hair and it let out a strangled gurgle as the wood pinned it to the ground, killing the creature and providing an obstacle for the others that had been following close behind it. Blossom, who had turned at the feel of something almost touching her hair, wanted to vomit at the sight, but Buttercup tugged her along.

"Keep up, Leader Girl, we're almost there!"

When they made it to one of the three main gates, there were no military personnel to stop them or ask if they had the proper authorization to leave the zone. Bodies lay strewn about, mirroring what the Utonium family had seen just fifteen minutes earlier, and a few of the dead looked like they were stirring, ready to rise up and join the infected army that had invaded. Blossom, Buttercup, and Professor Utonium were wheezing for air, their bodies screaming at them for rest, but they couldn't stop now.

Just as they had almost crossed the line that separated zone from outside world, a blur tackled the Professor to the ground. Blossom and Buttercup skidded to a halt as their father fought valiantly to keep the infected from sinking its teeth into his neck.

"Girls!" He grunted. "Run!"

"We're not leaving you here!" Buttercup snapped. At the drop of a hat, she retrieved a pocketknife from her pocket and flipped it open. Before she could join the fray, Blossom held her back, and she let out an anguished cry.

"Let _go_ , Blossom!"

"What if you get bitten, too?" Blossom yelled, struggling to keep her sister in check.

"We can't just leave him!"

"GET OUT OF HERE, _NOW!_ " The Professor roared, his tone stunning them as he brought his knee up sharply into the infected's stomach. The creature wheezed, momentarily caught off-guard by the action, and it was just enough time for him to bring both feet up and kick it off him, sending it sprawling backwards. He flashed his daughters a look of pure determination and neither of them liked the sad, resigned look that flickered in his eyes.

"I'll catch up with you, just go! Hurry!"

The infected was back on its feet in an instant and charged towards Professor Utonium, who seemed to anticipate this. Blossom took the opportunity to grab Buttercup's arm and they took off into the suburbs, the cool night air offering little comfort if any. By the looks of it, they were a good four-hour drive from Townsville, the unmistakable towers barely visible in the distance.

Both girls ran until they collapsed to their knees, their legs demanding rest. Buttercup, surprisingly, was the one to burst into a fit of anguished sobs while Blossom fought to keep her own mess of emotions together. The noirette pounded the ground with her fists angrily, snot leaking from her nose as tears trailed filthy tracks down her soot-covered cheeks. Both of them were covered in ash and soot from the fires and they reeked of sweat, but it was better than the smell of burning flesh that was most likely lingering in the ex-evacuation zone.

After Blossom caught her breath, she moved next to Buttercup and pulled her into a hug, trying to comfort her sibling. At first the noirette struggled, trying to hit the redhead and make her let go, but Blossom held firm and eventually Buttercup collapsed against her and sobbed softly.

"Listen, he'll be okay," Blossom tried to assure, patting her back soothingly. "He's strong, remember? The Professor can take care of himself."

"He'll _die_ ," Buttercup cried. "We lost Bubbles and now we lost our dad. How long until we die, too?"

"Don't think like that, we don't know any of that for sure." Blossom used her fingers to comb some of the debris out of Buttercup's hair. "Bubbles might still be alive out there and you saw how hard the Professor was fighting. He'll make it out of there in one piece, just like Bubbles will. Just like we _all_ will."

Buttercup wiped at her nose and sniffled thickly. "Why did this have to happen?"

"I don't know." And she didn't know. None of them had any clue why or how the infection had happened. What exactly had those eggheads in Citysville been messing with to cause an epidemic like this? No one, not even the smartest scientists or the wisest doctors, had any inkling as the what could cause people to turn into those _thing_ _s_ that were currently running around.

Blossom had never seen anything like this before. She had never seen sick people become so aggressive, so angry, bloodthirsty, and inhumanly strong, and she had never seen her sister break down crying like she was now. Professor Utonium, a man with a gentle demeanor and a calm personality, had never been one to physically fight or be firm towards his daughters. Seeing the people she loved change like this made her wonder about Bubbles and even herself. How exactly had the outbreak changed her? Was she still her matter-of-fact self, or was she someone else completely?

Buttercup was always a strong girl, the strongest out of all three Utonium girls. Blossom, being the oldest by a few minutes, always assumed leadership over the three of them when the Professor had to focus on work and she always found herself having to comfort Bubbles, the baby of the family, but never Buttercup. It felt strange to be sitting here with Buttercup bawling her eyes out when usually Buttercup was the one cracking bad jokes or trying to make a fool of herself to get everyone to laugh.

"I'm scared," the noirette admitted. It shook Blossom to her core to hear those two words coming from the toughest person she knew, but she tried not to appear as unnerved as she felt.

"I know. I'm scared, too." Then, after mulling it over for a moment, "Hey. What is it you always said in school?"

"That Taco Tuesday is God's gift to mankind?"

Despite all that had happened within the last two hours, Blossom chuckled. Her chuckles gradually turned into full-blown laughter and soon, Buttercup joined her. It wasn't all that funny but it was one of those moments where you either laugh or cry and after the slice of hell they'd dealt with tonight, laughter seemed to be the better option. If she started crying now, she knew she wouldn't be able to stop and then what use would she be to her sister? If the Professor _didn't_ make it out alive, she and Buttercup would have to lean on each other to survive in this chaotic world and they wouldn't be able to do it if they couldn't hold themselves together.

When Blossom calmed down enough to speak again, wiping away tears that had formed in her eyes (though from laughter or the need to cry, she wasn't sure), she replied, "No, silly, I meant about the Utonium family. You know, when you get all fired up at the Citysville wrestling team for talking smack about Townsville."

"That it'll take more than a couple of cheap shots to take us down?"

"Bingo." The redhead grinned. "It's the same deal with what we're dealing with right now. We may not be as strong as those things but we'll get through this, one way or another. It'll take a lot more than what these creatures can do to take us down."

Buttercup used the sleeve of her hoodie to dry her own eyes. "I said that in school because we were facing _people_ , not monsters. I don't know if it applies now."

"It does," Blossom reassured. She knew she probably wasn't making any sense but tonight's events had left her in shock, her thoughts not working properly. Her fingers idly played with the blades of grass next to where she sat, their cool, soft texture offering a small amount of relief; it was something to focus on other than the screams, shouts, and other noises echoing from the zone. "Everything will be alright, I _know_ it. Let's just wait and see if the Professor shows up. If he doesn't, we'll figure something out. Worst case scenario, we leave and try to find Bubbles."

Neither of them wanted to 'figure something out,' but they couldn't ignore the reality of the situation.

They waited for what felt like an eternity, the faint sounds of crackling fire from the burning zone doing nothing to soothe their anxiety. They were also anticipating the infected to come barreling out of the evacuation zone but were surprised when they didn't hear the tell-tale screeches or guttural noises close by.

It was when she was sure an hour had passed that Blossom began to chew the inside of her cheek worriedly. She was trying to hold herself together for her sister's sake but what if they _did_ lose their father? What if they were the only two Utoniums left? She could put on a brave face for her family, but she wasn't sure how strong she could be if he didn't show up, nor did she know how long she could put up a brave front for Buttercup's sake without having some sort of breakdown of her own.

"Blossom, Buttercup!"

At the sound of their names, they both turned to see the Professor limping towards them, a woman helping to hold him up. They instantly recognized her as Ms. Keane, the head teacher at Pokey Oaks Kindergarten. She was a pleasant woman and a wonderful teacher, and everyone in Townsville knew her not just by her immeasurable kindness, but also by her youthful looks.

However, tonight she looked her age, lines of worry carving themselves into her forehead, a sullen expression on her normally cheerful features. Her eyes, normally full of mirth and kindness, held a haunted look to them. Her short dark hair was slightly singed, a nasty burn evident on her left arm. Upon seeing her former students, she tried to smile.

"Girls! My word, it's so good to see you again!"

The Utonium sisters were instantly at both adults' sides, Buttercup helping the Professor to sit on the ground while Blossom examined Ms. Keane's burn.

"It's good to see you too, Ms. Keane." Blossom offered her a warm smile. "Thank you for helping the Professor."

"Actually, dear, he helped _me_ ," the older woman replied, wincing when a slight breeze caressed her wound. "I thought I was done for when one of the infected cornered me, but your father jumped in and saved my life. I don't know how he did it, but here we are."

The Professor himself had quite a few scratches and gashes all over his body, a particularly concerning wound on the outside of his left thigh, the pant leg torn to shreds. Blossom noticed that he kept a hand over the wound, blood staining his fingers, and felt her gut churn with dread at the dark liquid staining the bottom of his once-white dress shirt.

"Were either of you bitten?" Buttercup asked. Both adults shook their heads 'no.' The Professor noticed his eldest daughter eyeing the sizable gash on his leg and smiled weakly.

"It's nothing serious," he assured her, wincing when he was finally situated on the ground. Buttercup tried to apologize, thinking she had accidentally done something to hurt him, but he shook his head, mumbling 'I'm okay, don't worry.'

Ms. Keane, shaking her head at his attempt to be modest, piped up, "When your father was trying to save me, the infected took a few swipes at him."

"They got me pretty good, I probably have a cracked rib, too," he added, after he was comfortably situated. "Those infected sure don't mess around."

"And you're absolutely sure neither of you were bitten?" Buttercup asked, eyes narrowed at this new information. She didn't think the infection could be spread through anything other than a bite, but then again, she didn't think their evacuation zone would be overrun, yet here they were...

Both adults shook their heads. She exhaled through her nose, hoping that they were telling the truth.

Blossom went to take off her backpack to search for the first-aid supplies she'd managed to grab but Ms. Keane stopped her.

"Not here." The teacher's sweet, melodic voice was strangely dark. "We have to find shelter before the infected find us and finish what they started."

"Oh." The redhead hesitated before shrugging her backpack on again. "Right, good idea. Professor, how fast can you walk?"

He winced as she carefully helped him back to his feet. "Not too fast. Oof, this hurts..."

"We'll have to settle for one of the houses in this neighborhood," Buttercup stated. "Come on, I'll scout ahead and make sure there's no infected inside."

With that, Ms. Keane, Blossom, Buttercup, and the Professor headed down the street, smoke and flames still reaching towards the sky behind them as the screams of the living faded into silence.

* * *

The cozy little house they were staying in was just east of the street they'd reunited on. The Professor was helped onto the couch where he fell asleep seconds after his head hit one of the throw pillows, and Buttercup made sure the house was safe, covering any and all windows, ensuring all doors were locked or reinforced, while Blossom and Ms. Keane sat with the Professor in the living room.

Blossom did her best to tend to Ms. Keane's burn, but she didn't have any aloe vera, petroleum jelly, or anything of the like to treat the wound. All she had was a few bandages, rubbing alcohol, and some gauze. Judging by how Ms. Keane hissed and fought back tears when any sort of breeze picked up and caressed the burn, wrapping it in gauze was out of the question. She prayed it didn't get infected, for if it did...

She shook that thought away. Best not to think about it.

Blossom had tried to treat the wound on her father's leg but the deep cut had been caked with dried blood, dirt, and ash. She managed to find some towels in the upstairs bathroom, along with a bucket she filled with tap water, and she tried to wash away as much of the muck as she could, then cleaned the wound with rubbing alcohol. It was a good thing the Professor was currently asleep, otherwise she had a feeling he might have screamed; the wound was severe and she had used almost all of the gauze and bandages they had to wrap it, the cut running so deeply all the way from his leg up to his hip that she was shocked she didn't see his pelvis bone peeking through. However, Blossom tried to comfort herself with the fact that she'd done all she could to clean the wound and dress it. It was just a matter of time now; hopefully the wounds would heal on their own.

"Alright," Buttercup said, entering the room. "I covered every window I could and I put some chairs around the doors so that if anything comes in, we'll be alerted."

Blossom wanted to point out the flaws in that plan, like how if something _were_ to bust in, not only would the intruders successfully kill them but it would also wreck the previous owner's dining set, but she was too exhausted to voice her thoughts. Besides, now was not the time to be a know-it-all (and seriously, who cared about furniture right now? As far as they knew, they were the sole survivors of humankind); right now they had the Professor and Ms. Keane to worry about.

And now that she really thought about it, it wasn't like the military personnel had divulged any information to civilians regarding how to protect themselves against these creatures. Buttercup's attempt to keep them safe was all they had at the moment.

Ms. Keane sent an appreciative smile towards Buttercup. "Good thinking, Buttercup. That should buy us a little time to escape should something happen."

The raven-haired girl nodded and came to sit on the coffee table next to Blossom. Ms. Keane, who was on the recliner, leaned back against the chair and closed her eyes, heaving a long sigh.

Each of them were exhausted. With the adrenaline finally leaving their systems, plus with all the running and fighting and panicking from earlier, everyone was ready to pass out for a few hours. In fact, Ms. Keane was asleep within minutes, her somber expression easing into one of peace. Buttercup was fighting to keep her own eyes open, Blossom faring no better.

Both sisters fought to stay awake as long as they could before darkness pulled them under as well and they had no choice but to let go, their minds going mercifully blank.

...At least, that's how it went for Blossom. Buttercup, on the other hand, was jolted awake by her cell phone vibrating in her backpack. She sat up groggily and shrugged it off, digging through it for her phone. When she saw a notification indicating a new text message, she immediately opened it and held her breath while she read Bubbles' text once, twice, then a third time for good measure.

The text was from yesterday evening, so it was fairly recent (which was excellent, considering phone service had been shitty), but Buttercup chewed her bottom lip anxiously when she read 'met a friend, staying with him.'

So Bubbles wasn't alone, but was she safe? Was this mystery 'friend' a good person with good intentions? Or was Bubbles in a world of trouble? Had Bubbles even sent that text or did someone hurt her and steal her phone? Buttercup wished she knew who this mystery person was. She wasn't always as sharp as Blossom, but she was pretty good at reading people. All she'd have to do is get a good look at whoever was with Bubbles and she could tell right away whether they had good intentions or bad.

Still, if this person had hurt Bubbles and stolen her phone, they wouldn't have given specific directions to a specific location, would they? Granted, it might send Bubbles' family on a wild goose chase that led nowhere, but Buttercup tried to think the best. They'd experienced enough horror for one night; she would rather think of her little sister as being safe and sound and with someone who could help her stay alive than to consider the alternative.

And according to Bubbles' text, the infected had made their way into her neighborhood. Buttercup was surprised by that statement; hadn't there already been infected there? Or had they just stuck to the city? She wished she could actually speak to Bubbles and figure out just what exactly was going on there...

Buttercup sat up and began typing out her own response. By the time she hit 'send,' the first streaks of dawn were beginning to peek through the covered windows. After eyeing her phone a few minutes longer, her mind lingering on her sister's fate as well as the potential fate of those sleeping close by to her, she settled back down onto the floor and closed her eyes, her hand resting over her phone on the off-chance that Bubbles got back to her.

When sleep finally came, she did not dream of fire or sickly monsters. Instead, her mind remained merciful and pulled her under a sea of dreamless, soothing darkness.


	13. Chapter 13

**Special thanks to Wxnderland and ROCuevas for always leaving reviews! I always look forward to seeing what you guys think of each chapter :D and thank you Wxnderland for your kind words! xo**

 **To anyone else reading, thank you for the faves and follows, even the guest reviews. It means a lot to me when people enjoy my story to the point that they'd like to keep tabs on its progress. And please don't be shy; I'd love to know what you guys think! Feel free to drop a review if you'd like ^_^**

* * *

 **.: 13 :.**

Bubbles had never felt so exhausted in her life.

After last night's incident with the air horn alarm and the shattering glass, she and Boomer remained awake for the rest of the evening. Neither of them could sleep knowing it was a matter of time before Bubbles' house would be the infected's next conquest. Those victorious howls and screeches might soon be right outside her door as they burst through the living room window.

They both heaved a sigh of relief when the sun came up. The infected appeared to retreat to the houses and city again which suited both blondes just fine. Boomer made them both bowls of cereal and water and although Bubbles didn't feel like eating, she forced herself to anyway. Nothing, not even thinking properly, could be accomplished on an empty stomach.

Neither of them wanted to talk about the potential of Bubbles' house getting broken into when night fell. Both of them were tired, their nerves and minds fried from the constant increases and decreases in adrenaline, the multiple attempts to think of a foolproof plan to remain under the radar (and have logic shoot down every single idea). It was something they were going to have to face soon but for right now, sitting together and enjoying their cereal was all they wanted to do. Battle strategies could be thought of later, anyway; it was only seven in the morning after all.

When she finished her cereal, Bubbles pushed her bowl to the side and tried to think about the layout of her house. Was there any way they could board up the living room windows? No; that particular window was too big, plus they didn't have any boards, nails, or any kind of material to reinforce her home. Plus even if they did have the proper resources, Boomer had brought up a good point about power tools (or any kind of home improvement tools) being too noisy.

Would it do to keep moving from house to house each night? If the infected were becoming smarter, they'd soon figure out this plan and ambush them. Plus, weren't the infected currently occupying the neighborhood? What would they do if they broke into a house only to find a family of infected waiting to take them down?

Bubbles rubbed her temples, a headache coming on from racking her brain. Boomer swallowed a spoonful of cheerios, wincing at the watery part of it, before looking up.

"Still trying to think of a plan?"

She nodded. "I'm running into every obstacle you could think of. Every outcome looks like we're screwed no matter what."

He frowned but didn't try to correct her or try to make her see the 'silver lining' of the situation, for there was none to be found. The infected were _here_ and could burst in at any moment to rob them of their lives, and they were virtually powerless to do anything about it.

The sunlight peeked through one of the kitchen windows and bounced off a coffee mug that sat next to the espresso machine. Bubbles recognized it immediately as her father's favorite mug, the comic sans on it boldly stating '#1 Dad.' She remembered chipping in with her sisters to get him that mug one father's day and how happy it had made him; he used it all the time, even taking it with him when he had to go away for conventions. Every morning, Bubbles would see that particular mug missing from the cup cabinet and know he was in the lab working on some sort of invention—

Wait.

"THAT'S _IT_ _!_ " Bubbles slammed her hands on the table and jumped from her chair, startling Boomer so much that he choked on his cereal. After regaining his bearings, he rubbed his throat weakly.

"Bubbles?"

The girl couldn't hear him, for she had raced over to one of the kitchen drawers and was rummaging through it as fast as she could. When she didn't find what she was looking for, she huffed, turning back to face her friend.

"Bubbles?" he tried again. She held up a hand.

"Sorry, Boomer, just give me a sec. It's got to be around here somewhere, unless he had it with him. No, no... Dad always kept it somewhere around here, he never brought it with him when he left the house, so maybe.."

Boomer continued to finish off his cereal cautiously as though expecting another outburst from Bubbles. He didn't have to worry, however, because her eyes suddenly lit up and she dashed out of the room and disappeared somewhere upstairs, if the footsteps thudding up the stairs were anything to go by. When she returned, a single black key dangled from her index finger, a look of triumph glinting in her eyes.

"The lab," she cried, beaming at him. A giggle that was very close to sounding hysterical escaped her and she ran her hands through her messy hair. "I'm a world-class idiot, Boomer. We can use the lab! It's _perfect!_ "

"The lab?"

"Professor has an underground lab," she explained. "Right here in our house. It used to be a regular old basement but he made a few adjustments to it when he moved here. It's soundproof, it's nice and cool so we won't have to worry about heat or humidity, there's a small bathroom down there, and all the chemical smells will hide us. Oh, and there are underground tunnels that lead away from the house, too, so if anything bad happens, we'll have a way to escape. It's fool proof! I can't believe I didn't think of this before, I'm such a moron!"

The confusion and curiosity on Boomer's face smoothed out into a grin.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go check it out!"

* * *

Boomer knew that if he had been a regular person unaccustomed to the smell of disinfectant and chemicals, he would have wrinkled his nose as soon as Bubbles unlocked the door that supposedly led downstairs into Professor Utonium's personal laboratory. She clicked her flashlight on and descended the stairs tentatively, as if afraid to head down.

"You okay?" he asked, slowly trailing behind her with a death-grip on the railing. The stairs weren't rickety or anything but Boomer didn't know how wide the staircase was, and the last thing he needed was to stumble and twist an ankle.

"Yeah, sorry." Bubbles let out a long exhale. "It's just old habits. The Professor always warned us to stay out of his lab for safety reasons and he'd scold us something awful if he caught us snooping around down here. I guess I never really thought of hiding down here because it's always been off-limits. Professor only allowed us entry to view some of his finished inventions and even then, we weren't really allowed to explore."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Boomer reminded. Then, after thinking about what he'd just said, "Man, I'm starting to sound like Brick."

The thought of his brother sent a pang of worry through his gut but he refused to let the feeling overtake him. Right now, they had more important things to address, like the fact that this awesome underground lab could help him and his lovely companion live to see another day.

"I forgot to mention," Bubbles' gentle voice interrupted his thinking. They were nearing the bottom of the staircase now. "It's actually really cool down here. I wish the electric was still working so I could turn the lights on... Anyway, my dad has anything and everything down here, all perfectly arranged; since you're the son of a scientist, I'm sure you've got to be at least a little curious as to what your father's rival was up to down here. It looks better when it's fully lit up, but you can still take a look if you'd like."

Boomer shone his flashlight around, the beam of light hitting various shelves and cabinets. Counters and more cabinets, half of them filing cabinets, lined the far wall, beakers, test tubes, and various other pieces of equipment arranged neatly around the spotless sink. It was a standard laboratory but Boomer could appreciate how up-to-date it was in terms of equipment. Mojo's own personal lab was always kept in tip-top condition, the man obsessively ensuring all of his stuff was on-par with what the scientific community deemed 'up-to-date,' but Professor Utonium's work space was something in itself to behold. A few inventions, some actual machines while others were labeled beakers, test tubes, and other containers, were arranged in alphabetical order on a few shelves pushed back against one of walls, a rather impressive display of Professor Utonium's work. If his father were still alive, Boomer was sure he'd be amazed at all of the advanced equipment and inventions-in-progress his son currently had the privilege to view.

"Ah! Here's the door that leads to the tunnels," Bubbles said, shining her light towards a narrow-looking door. It looked like it might lead into a linen closet instead of a secret tunnel, but Bubbles knew her house better than he ever could, so he kept his thoughts to himself.

"And these lead out of the city?"

She nodded and opened the door, and Boomer was surprised to see a neat, well-built hallway that looked to be roughly thirty feet wide. It was nothing like the narrow dirt tunnels he'd been imagining, that was for sure.

"This hallway branches out into three," she explained. "One heads directly into the heart of Townsville, one leads all the way out to Citysville, and one leads away from both cities. We were never allowed to play in the tunnels but Professor told us about them because, well, the door is hard to miss. We were bound to ask about it sooner or later. It also doesn't help that Buttercup used to get into all sorts of trouble down here and managed to open the door one day, which is one heck of a story, but suffice it to say there's a reason this door now requires a special key to unlock it.. and there's a reason Professor put industrial locks on the door upstairs to keep people out of his lab."

He raised an eyebrow. "And these tunnels are legal to have?"

She grinned sheepishly. "Actually, no one knows about them but us. The Professor told us that they were here when he moved in; all he did was put in proper structures to keep them from caving in, plus he renovated the basement so that he had his own personal lab to work in. He figured that since the tunnels were already there, he could always use them in case of an emergency, so that's why he invested in making sure they didn't cave in. No one knows about them except us, though."

"So... I'm a little curious," Boomer said, squinting down the darkness of the seemingly-endless hallway. "Weren't you guys ever worried about people finding the tunnels and stumbling into your dad's lab?"

"Nah." Bubbles spun the key around her finger as she had earlier upon finding it. "From what I understand, each of the three entrances are well-hidden; you'd have to be desperately searching for them to find them, and even then, you'd have to _know_ about them in the first place."

Boomer nodded, mulling her words over. "Well... I have to admit, these might just be our saving grace if the infected try to get into the basement. You know which tunnels lead to where, right?"

She grinned. "Of course! My dad may have banned us from playing in them, but we _do_ know which tunnel leads to where. And it's soundproof down here, too, so we could spend the night here and talk to each other instead of sitting in silence."

"Sounds good to me." He yawned, still feeling last night's exhaustion weigh on him. "It'll be nice to actually get sleep tonight, too. I don't know about you, but my sleep schedule is all screwed up thanks to those jerkwads."

Bubbles giggled. "Same here. Come on, let's go bring our stuff down here and set up a makeshift camp. It might do us some good to get some rest before they show up, just in case we need to get out of here."

Boomer shone his flashlight towards the stairs. "Sounds like a plan! Lead the way, pretty lady."

* * *

After bringing down all the supplies they'd need to get them through the night, as well as creating a makeshift bed with Bubbles' comforter, lots of pillows borrowed from the couch and Bubbles' bed, both blondes spent the remaining half of their day catching up on sleep. Boomer slept like a rock while Bubbles dozed on and off, reality blending with her nonsensical dreams. In some of them, the infected were nothing more than people just looking for a hug. In others, the infected had burst in only to put on a tap-dancing musical. Bubbles didn't know what caused such strange dreams but nonsense was definitely preferable over nightmares.

Night rolled around quickly. The door leading to the lab was all locked up from the inside so that if anything _did_ happen to smell them, the industrial-strong locks on the inside of the door would buy them enough time to escape through the tunnels.

It was eleven-thirty at night when they arrived. Boomer had just finished eating a granola bar and Bubbles was just waking up from yet another nap when the infected finally smashed through the living room windows and began to invade the Utonium residence. The sun had to have gone down hours ago, yet the infected had waited until almost midnight to show up, if Bubbles' phone was still keeping time correctly.

Muffled growls could be heard all around upstairs, causing Bubbles to quickly become alert, shaking off any remnants of sleep. Boomer looked towards the door at the top of the stairs and frowned.

"I was wondering when they'd show up," he murmured.

Bubbles' eyes were wide with fear as they listened to a few of the former-humans swarm into the upstairs portion of the Utonium house, lots of breaking noises echoing above them. Nothing was trying to get into the basement so that was a good sign; she knew the infected wouldn't be able to hear them down here—after all, how many times had the Professor spent time tinkering with his inventions down here without making a peep?—but the fear that they potentially _could_ still pick up on them continued to nag at the back of her mind.

It was Boomer who, as always, challenged her fears.

"Sounds like they're really going to town on the furniture up there, huh?"

He was speaking at normal volume. If the lab wasn't sound-proof, the infected would have heard him the moment he opened his mouth to speak and they would have been discovered. However, the infected above them didn't even pause, their focus solely on wrecking the house. It was a relief to know that she'd been right about them being safely concealed down here.

"Mojo never had his own personal lab," Boomer continued, pulling his knees into his chest. "I mean, he always had a work space, but never anything as nice as this. Your dad has everything a scientist could ever dream of having. I think if Mojo were here, he'd be insanely jealous."

Bubbles could only nod, still fearful of speaking. He tried to offer a reassuring smile.

"Hey, you said it yourself: we're safe down here and nothing can hear us. I know you're scared and I'm practically shitting bricks myself, but talking might help distract us from the danger above."

Sometimes Bubbles hated how Boomer always came up with valid points. She tried to think of what they could possibly talk about when she was sure the living room television had just been tossed outside. Still, he had been speaking to her at regular volume and the infected hadn't paused once in their noisy chaos or make any indications they had heard them.

After a few minutes of trying to think of what to say, Bubbles decided it might be best to learn more about the young man beside her.

"Hey Boomer?"

He looked up, his features reflecting the semi-somber mood they were both feeling.

"Can you tell me a story about your life?"

"Of course. What do you want to know?"

Bubbles stared up into the darkness that surrounded them, the sound of infected feet thudding upstairs the only other sound aside from their hushed voices.

"Something funny, something sad... Anything, really."

A particularly loud crash made her cringe and Boomer's hand brushed hers, hesitating before intertwining his fingers with hers. She was still on-edge but feeling his hand wrapped around hers offered enough comfort for her to relax a little.

"Alright. Something funny, then." He exhaled through his nose. "I once lost my swim shorts in the ocean."

A screech, then another crashing sound. Boomer squeezed her hand, trying to keep her attention on his words.

"See, Butch and Brick wanted to spend the day bumming it on the beach, so I figured hey, why not? I'm always down for going to the beach. So we went across the city to one of the cleaner shores and set up a spot close to the ocean. Brick went to get us all ice cream while Butch was flirting with some girls at the volleyball nets. I went for a quick swim when Brick got back, holding up a small cup of mint chocolate-chip with a dash of chocolate sprinkles on top, my favorite, and I got so excited that I miscalculated when I tried to walk out of the water."

A furious howl. The infected were _pissed_ that they couldn't find either of the blonde humans they'd seen. Bubbles nibbled her bottom lip anxiously.

"Long story short," Boomer squeezed her hand again. "Freakin' perverted ocean stole my shorts. Could've bought me a drink first."

Bubbles chuckled, but immediately stopped laughing once they heard another loud crash above. Boomer knew she was scared that the lab wasn't as soundproof as she thought. She was terrified of the infected bursting through the door and tearing into them, not that he could blame her... Half of him was dreading the possibility that they'd be discovered, too, but he tried to keep a brave face on for her.

"We're okay," he reassured, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. "We're safe down here, remember? Your dad knew what he was doing when he built this lab; we have nothing to worry about."

"I know. It's just..." Her voice cracked. "C-can I get closer to you?"

"Sure."

She scooted closer to him and he wrapped an arm protectively over her, pulling her close so that she was practically huddled against his side. She instantly relaxed at his touch and he felt a sliver of pride that he was able to make her feel somewhat at ease.

Upstairs, they could hear the infected tearing up more furniture in their desperate search. At the sound of the Professor's trophy case being smashed open, Bubbles curled up even closer to Boomer and buried her face in his chest, eyes shut tightly as she clutched his shirt. He rubbed small circles into her back and sighed softly.

"Guess they're jealous that your dad won so many awards."

She snorted in amusement and the sound made him grin. It was good to know he was still able to make her laugh in the face of danger.

The sound of a trophy being hurled against a wall made them both jump, Boomer relaxing first.

"Yup. Haters gonna hate."

Bubbles couldn't contain the giggles that burst forth and he chuckled along with her.

"Probably mad they couldn't win any," she agreed.

"The only trophies they'd win would be for worst breath and for world's rudest house guests."

That earned him another giggle.

Another loud noise that resembled glass shattering shook the upstairs. Boomer rolled his eyes even though he knew Bubbles couldn't see the action through the inky darkness around them.

"If they break anymore glass, I'm gonna make them pay for the replacements. Windows ain't cheap."

Bubbles laughed. "Could you imagine confronting one of them?"

"Pshh, they keep it up and I'm gonna have to. 'Hey, fang-face, you think you could run me to Home Depot? You kinda wrecked my house last night and furniture is hella expensive. Time to pay up, bitch.'"

She snickered. "Or what about, 'hey, thanks for throwing a temper tantrum in my house'?"

"Better yet: 'Bruh, how angry do you have to be to destroy _two_ houses?'"

An ear-piercing shriek caused all mayhem above to come to a halt. Bubbles and Boomer, who had been grinning at their own jokes, froze to listen carefully, the grins instantly wiped off their faces at the silence that followed.

What was going on up there? Bubbles wanted to ask Boomer if he thought maybe the infected had heard them but she was too afraid to speak.

Just as the infected had come crashing into her house, they appeared to retreat, leaving a heavy, almost ominous silence behind them. Boomer gently untangled himself from Bubbles and crept towards the stairs, straining his ears for any indication that the infected had spotted the basement door. Could they smell them through all the disinfectant and chemical residue? If their sense of smell was as advanced as Boomer had witnessed, then surely the scent of sanitation would sting their noses and discourage them from sniffing around the basement door... Right?

Nothing. No footsteps, no labored breathing, no grunts, screeches, _nothing._ Boomer crept back towards Bubbles and rejoined her, wrapping an arm around her again. He paused to see if she would protest or let him know she was uncomfortable with the action, but Bubbles surprised him by snuggling right back up to him again, her delicate fingers gently clutching the fabric of his shirt.

"Hear anything?" she whispered.

"No." He sighed. "No, I think they're gone. I think they gave up on trying to find us."

Bubbles let out a relieved sigh and buried her face into his chest again, glad to feel her pounding heart slowly return to its normal pace.

Boomer's face was scarlet as he continued to hold Bubbles. After a moment of working up some courage, he rested his chin on top of her head and she nuzzled her face further into his chest.

A few frantic heartbeats passed before Bubbles pulled back. Even though it was still pitch black around them, she could faintly make out his features.

"Sorry if I'm making things awkward," she murmured. "S-should I give you your space?"

"N-no!" Boomer rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Um, you're not making me uncomfortable. I.. I actually really like being close to you. Is... Is that weird?"

The smile that spread across her lips would have reduced Boomer to an incoherent puddle if he could see it.

"It's not weird at all," she assured. "It's been a rough night."

"Right." Boomer exhaled. "That's true. Do you, uh... Still want to...?"

"Sure." Bubbles scooted closer to him again. They settled onto the makeshift bed, Bubbles resting her head on Boomer's outstretched arm as she cuddled closer to him, resting her hand on his chest. He smelled like mint and boy, not an unpleasant scent, but it was just so very _Boomer_ and she fought the smile that threatened to lift her lips. It seemed as though each time they got close like this, the butterflies in her stomach got stronger and stronger, and it was becoming exceedingly difficult to ignore her growing feelings for the blonde next to her despite rational reasoning that dating was no longer a good idea in this barren world.

Boomer, on the other hand, was grateful for the darkness around them because otherwise, Bubbles would see how red his face was at being close to her. He didn't want to admit how wonderful it felt to have her in his arms and that he felt completely at ease around her. She was focused on survival and he would never want to make things weird between them or distract her when they needed to keep an eye on the infected's next plan of attack. Crushes and fuzzy feelings, he kept telling himself, had no place here, yet here they were and here they stayed, growing increasingly harder to ignore with each passing day.

They spent the rest of the night like that, just relishing in the fact that they'd made it through the infected's raid as well as secretly enjoying each other's company.

* * *

"It's a good thing you remembered your dad had his own lab downstairs," Boomer remarked. Morning finally arrived after they dozed on and off for a few hours and both blondes decided to head upstairs to assess the damage, and there was _quite_ a lot of damage to assess.

The living room windows were completely smashed, shards of glass littering the front lawn and the living room carpet. The Professor's trophy case had been overturned and a few of his awards lay broken around it. The staircase banister looked like one of the infected had fallen onto it, creating a sizable dent that Bubbles knew would take a long time to fix, that is, if it ever _could_ be fixed. The sofa was ripped to shreds, its white fluffy filling scattered around the living room in clumps and the front door had been torn off its hinges.

The kitchen wasn't in any better shape. Boxes of food were ripped open and spilled all over the floor, mixing with muddy, bloody footprints, and a few cans looked like they'd been squeezed until they exploded. The kitchen table had been tossed through the window (what was their obsession with breaking glass?!) and two of the table's matching chairs were overturned, one with a broken leg.

The upstairs was not too bad. The bedrooms were not as ripped up as the living room and kitchen, but each of the beds had been flipped over and in the girls' room, Blossom's bookcase had been shoved onto its side. Other than that, there were more mucky footsteps, a few scratches and dents along the walls, but everything else was intact.

Bubbles couldn't imagine what would have happened if she hadn't remembered her father's secure laboratory. The thought of those exploded cans, the dents in the walls, the lawn of City Hall... _Good God._ She fought to suppress a shudder.

"We're definitely going to need to stock up on food again," she said, picking up the torn box of cheerios they'd been eating the past few days. "Which isn't going to be easy since those things are probably hiding in Malph's."

Boomer grabbed a broom and tried to sweep up what he could. "How do you know for sure? Maybe Malph's is still clear."

"With how obsessed they are with breaking glass, I doubt we could even set foot into Malph's, let alone raid it." She opened the fridge where they'd stored the water bottles. The appliance was useless without electricity, but it had hidden their water supply, so at least they still had that, if anything.

"We still have more than enough water," she murmured. "Good. That makes our job a little easier, then."

"If Malph's turns out to be a bust, we could always try raiding houses," Boomer suggested, sweeping the pile of glass and food into a dustpan. He quickly emptied it into the garbage can, dusting off his hands as he began another round of sweeping.

"We could, but those things might be staying in a few houses," Bubbles pointed out. "So if we plan to do that, we need to figure out which houses are clear and which to stay away from. That's going to take a lot of planning and stake-outs to ensure there's nothing that could be inside, but we still need to eat in the meantime. I doubt we'll get very far on four cans of green beans."

He sighed. "Right... Sorry."

She smiled despite her exhaustion. "It's fine, there's nothing wrong with trying to think of alternatives. We might have to get a little more creative anyway if we hope to stay alive... Those things were really determined to find us and it seems like they're only getting smarter."

When Boomer finished sweeping, Bubbles grabbed a mop and bucket from the storage closet and did what she could to clean the remaining muck off the floor. By the time they were done cleaning the kitchen and living room, it was nearing two in the afternoon. The house looked a little better but still worse for wear; it made Bubbles sad to see her childhood home so messed up, but there wasn't much she could do. Besides, they'd done all they could to clean it up; at least the infected didn't know how to burn houses to the ground. She'd take shattered-glass-obsessed infected over pyromaniacs any day. A damaged house was still better than no house.

"Soooo, I'm going to take a stab in the dark here and say we'll have to wait till tomorrow to go food shopping," Boomer said, collapsing against what was left of the sofa. Bubbles plopped down next to him.

"It'll be nighttime soon," she agreed. "Might be easier if we go when it's broad daylight out."

"Didn't you say the infected still roam around during the day, though?"

"It was just that one I saw," she replied. "And besides, we can see more clearly during the day; scavenging would probably be a lot harder at night. Whether those things can walk around during the daytime or not, we don't have a choice; we need to stock up on food."

"We'd have more places to hide when it's dark out," he reasoned, and Bubbles nodded.

"True, but those things probably have advanced sense of sight. They've been prowling around this neighborhood for a few nights, now; they probably know every nook and cranny better than we ever could."

He wrinkled his nose. "So tomorrow then?"

Bubbles tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, offering a sad smile. "Yeah... Better safe than sorry, Boomer."

"Damn." He groaned. "I'm so freakin' hungry, too... I could go for a burger and fries right now."

Suddenly he sprang up, his eyes alight with an idea. "Wait a sec! We left some food at my place, remember? Maybe, if we're careful—"

He began bouncing on his heels. "Yes! We can grab the food that's there!"

"Uh..." Bubbles didn't want to kill his sudden good mood but they needed to think logically. "What if the infected are staying in your house?"

Boomer paused, then shook his head. "I doubt they are. They broke into here last night but they didn't stay, and we could use all the extra food we can get our hands on considering the infected destroyed a good chunk of our supply last night. This is our only alternative to Malph's; I don't think you want to go spelunking around the neighborhood for food yet, considering a lot of the infected might just be staying in a few of the other houses."

 _Damn it. Right again._ She resisted the urge to sigh.

"We'll have to be extremely careful, Boomer. We're playing with fire now and we don't even know if they spared the food supply there. You saw how ripped up the kitchen was."

Boomer beamed, then nodded. "Of course we'll be careful, and honestly, I'd rather check and find out there's nothing there than to not know at all. Come on, we're burning precious daylight; if we're quick enough, we can get there, grab some stuff, and get back here before dark."

After Bubbles retrieved Buttercup's baseball bat, they snuck out of the back door and went around to the front lawn. Scratch marks and dents littered the outside of the Utonium house but it remained intact for the most part. The front door—what used to be the front door, anyway—lay in splintered chunks on the lawn, a few reddish-brown spots dotting the wood. Whatever had ripped the door from its hinges had obviously taken damage in the process.

"We're gonna have to fix that at some point," Bubbles remarked, frowning at how exposed the living room was without a door or window. They could continue to hide in the basement but still; what if the infected _were_ able to walk around during the daylight? What if they saw her and Boomer? No front door left them completely exposed.

"We'll have to add a brand new door to their tab," Boomer joked. At Bubbles' curious tilt of her head, he continued: "Pretty sure they're going to owe us all of Home Depot by the time Brick and Butch come back."

* * *

 **Preeeetty sure it's not canon that the PPG house has tunnels underneath it; that's just my own added touch for the story's sake. Any other guesses as to what the creatures could be? Next chapter should be up sometime soon, so stay tuned ;)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Sooo hey, I actually meant for this to be up sooner but then life got in the way. Sorry in advance if there are any mistakes; I'll probably go through this chapter again at some point just to double-check and ensure there aren't any errors.**

 **To Wxnderland: I know I don't have to thank you but I do anyway because you don't have to review, yet you make time to do so. So seriously, thank you, haha ^_^**

 **Thank you again for your kind reviews, especially the Guest that reviewed! I hope everyone is doing well and that you all continue to enjoy the story! :D**

* * *

 **.: 14 :.**

They reached the Jojo residence quickly, the sun acting as an ally as it fought to remain in the sky just a wee bit longer. The house, much like Bubbles' own home, was littered with dents and scratches, almost every window shattered. The elaborate air horn trap that Boomer had set up lay in pieces on the front lawn, possibly the infected's way of mocking his attempt at an alarm.

The house, while probably a mess inside, didn't appear inhabited. Most of the Jojo house was made up of large windows and without them or their coverings, sunlight filtered through almost every inch and made it practically impossible for infected to hang out inside. That is, _if_ sunlight still repelled them.

"I'll go in first," Boomer whispered, reaching for the baseball bat strapped across his back. "And I'll let you know if it's clear or not."

"Don't you think it'd be a better idea to go in together?" she asked. "Safety in numbers and all that?"

He shook his head. "I know every corner of that house so I know every potential hiding spot. If there's something in there, I'd rather you be outside and ready to go in case we have to book it. It'll waste precious time if I have to come find you, and who knows? If there actually _is_ something in there, it might use that time to call more of 'em in. Just trust me on this."

Bubbles wanted to protest but he was already half up the walkway. As he maneuvered himself through the half-torn door, she clutched Buttercup's baseball bat that much tighter, silently praying that the house was clear.

Five minutes passed. Then ten. Then fifteen. Bubbles worried her bottom lip while she took in her surroundings, her gaze lingering over each and every house she could see. She was just about to enter Boomer's house herself to see if something had happened when he poked his head out from the living room window.

"It's safe! Come on!" He kept his voice to almost a whisper, and Bubbles jogged up the walkway to join him in the living room. She squeezed past the half-broken door and looked at the travesty that lay around them. Shredded books, broken vases, ripped up furniture... And to think the house had been spotless only two days prior.

Boomer led her into the kitchen where, mercifully, the cabinets hadn't been tampered with. They went through the fridge and the pantry, grabbing as much of the leftover food they could fit into their backpacks. The solar panels were still working perfectly, thank goodness, so any perishables were still edible. When they'd stuffed their backpacks with everything they could find, Boomer handed Bubbles a chocolate bar that he'd been saving.

At her perplexed expression, he grinned. "Think of it as rent for letting me stay at your place. I know I can be a pain, so... Think of it as a thank-you for tolerating me."

Bubbles frowned. "You're not a pain, Boomer, and there's no need to pay any sort of 'rent' to stay with me. We look out for each other, remember? We're friends."

"Yeah, but... Still." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I also figured you might like the last chocolate bar on earth."

His backpack full-to-bursting, Boomer set it down on the floor before heading upstairs. Bubbles chewed her lip as she looked at the candy bar.

It bothered her that Boomer thought of himself as a burden. Truth be told, she was enjoying his company; he helped her feel at home when her house felt like anything _but_ home. If it hadn't been for Boomer's cheerful entry into her life, she wasn't sure what she would be doing right now. Would she have even lasted this long? And without Boomer, would she have ever thought to hide in her father's laboratory? Maybe she would have been killed or worse, turned into one of the monsters running around Townsville, Citysville, maybe even the rest of the world if Boomer was correct when he'd initially said the whole world was dealing with the same outbreak.

A dark thought wormed its way to the front of her mind as her thumb rubbed over the smooth sides of the candy bar. If not for Boomer, would she have lost hope at ever seeing her family again and—

A painful lump formed in her throat. Her gaze fell onto her hands and she turned her free one over, examining the blemish-free skin with a blank expression. The fact that she was alive was a gift considering how violent the infected were, but without the ray of hope that was Boomer Jojo, it was possible that she might have turned to suicide. Why would anyone want to survive in a world like this, where you slowly watched all of your family and friends die at the hands of the infected? She knew she would have tried to hold out for the supposed rescue team that was sent out to retrieve her, but loneliness had a funny way of twisting one's thoughts and feelings. Bubbles wasn't sure how long she would have lasted living in perpetual silence each day and night, no one to talk to, nothing to do but wait and listen. She was sure her mind would have killed her if the infected didn't first.

Boomer brought so much light into her life. Butterflies did somersaults in her stomach at the thought of the blonde young man and, for once, she allowed herself to enjoy the feeling.

"Oh-ho, jackpot!"

Bubbles snapped out of her thoughts when he rushed into the room holding a stuffed animal—a turtle with star shapes all along the surface of its plastic shell.

"I forgot I had this!" He was beaming. "It still works and everything! We can use this when we stay in the basement."

He clicked a button located on its side and the shell lit up, star-shaped lights projection onto the ceiling. He admired the silver star lights with that brilliant smile remaining on his face, eyes alight with childlike wonder. To see him so happy only made the butterflies worse and she decided that yes, if Boomer had never come around, a life all by herself in the Utonium residence would be no life at all.

"It'll look better in the dark," he promised, clicking the switch off. "Man, I can't believe I still have this thing. Last time I used it, I must've been eight or nine."

Bubbles smiled. "That's one of those night-light plushies, isn't it?"

"I was super afraid of the dark when I was a kid," he admitted. Perking up again, he held it up. "It'll be like we're in a planetarium! Well, sort of."

Before Bubbles could respond, a distant screech pierced the air. The smiles were instantly wiped off both blondes' faces, Bubbles' expression growing fearful while Boomer's became dark. He nodded at Bubbles and she immediately understood, shrugging her backpack on as quickly as she could.

* * *

They made it back to her house in one piece, thank goodness, and they retreated into the basement just in case any infected were hanging around. They brought all of their food supply downstairs with them this time, taking care not to place anything too close to any of Professor Utonium's experiments. The last thing they needed was for any of their stuff to become contaminated by his concoctions.

After a dinner of sandwiches that used up the remaining cold-cuts they'd retrieved from Boomer's fridge, Bubbles and Boomer set up the turtle light and watched the stars twinkle on the ceiling above. It wouldn't last forever but for tonight, it was a treat to see a night sky... Even if it was just an artificial replica.

The infected arrived around midnight again, not quite destroying Bubbles' house this time but it was clear they were rummaging through everything, still hoping to find them. At one point, something was smashed against a wall, sounding very much like ceramic. Bubbles wasn't sure if they even owned anything ceramic but if they did, it was broken now.

While the house was being invaded, Bubbles and Boomer were sitting on their makeshift bed, their gazes on the silver star lights above.

"Did you ever have any dream careers?"

It was Bubbles, funnily enough, who decided to speak first tonight. Boomer stretched his arms high into the air before letting them fall back to his sides, a yawn escaping him.

"Of course I did. At one point I wanted to be a pro-wrestler, but one round against Butch and that dream quickly died." He pointed to the thin scar over his eyebrow and Bubbles had to squint to see it. "You've probably noticed the scar I have here. That's all thanks to our wrestling match in the driveway."

Bubbles barely contained the snort that threatened to morph into giggles. "You guys were wrestling in the driveway? Boomer, pavement is the _worst_ place to do that."

"Well...!" He huffed indignantly but she could see his smile in the dim glow of the turtle's light. "Try telling that to two determined eight year-old boys. Like we ever listened to Mojo at that age... Even Brick didn't heed his advice. He's still got a scar on his knee from when we decided we were gonna be big-time skateboarders. I think that lasted a week before Mojo put an end to that."

She chuckled. "To be honest, I meant more along the lines of did you ever think about what you wanted to do after college."

"Oh!" Boomer paused. "I don't really know. I think I went to college for two weeks before I dropped out. It just wasn't for me; I'm not really good when it comes to academics. I didn't really fit into trade school, either. I gotta say, though, sometimes I didn't mind not knowing my purpose. Being a delivery boy wasn't the greatest job in the world, but it wasn't the worst either. I felt okay about my life, about not knowing anything that was to come."

"You weren't even a little nervous about the future?"

"Nah."

She felt slightly envious. "I was always afraid of what the future held. I always thought that if I didn't get a good job or I didn't get into a good school, I wouldn't be useful to my family."

"Useful? Bubbles, you're not a tool." He reached over to pinch her cheek and she dodged him, sticking her tongue out at him. He offered a toothy smile in reply and she settled back down next to him, returning her gaze to the artificial stars above them.

"I know that, but..." She sighed. "I love my family. My sisters and my father have always been there for me no matter what, and I figure if I could get a decent job, I could pay them back. Not literally, of course, but I'd love to be in a position where I could give them all the money they could ever want or need. I want to have a career where I can toss thousands of dollars around like it's nothing. If my dad needed a new car, boom—I could buy him a BMW. If my sisters wanna go on a shopping spree, boom—I can give them a couple grand to go nuts. I just wanted to make enough money to make sure my family's happy, you know?"

Boomer grinned. "I wish I could do that, too. I know my brothers would love to have a couple new video game consoles but unfortunately, any money we made had to be put towards the house bills and gas. Mojo made a decent living but we felt bad if we didn't pitch in somehow."

"My sisters and I felt the same way. We tried getting odd jobs here and there to help our dad with the house bills, mostly."

A loud crash echoed upstairs.

"Really? What kind of job did you have before all this?"

"Well, I couldn't really work because I had to put all my focus onto school," she explained. "And believe me, I still feel bad that I couldn't do both, especially when my sisters were able to do it."

Boomer waved her off. "Everyone's different, Bubbles. People can't always handle the pressure of work and school and that's okay."

She played with a stray thread on her shirt. "I know, but still."

"So what were you going to school for?"

"I was majoring in English with a minor in art," she replied. "And actually, I was thinking of switching my major to art, but before I could actually decide—"

It sounded like a pan clattered to the kitchen floor. Bubbles gestured above them.

"Those guys showed up and pretty much made the decision for me that I was done attending school."

"English and art, huh?" Boomer nodded slowly. "Were you planning to become a teacher?"

Bubbles laughed. Not even she knew the answer to that question. "I don't know; I just know that I enjoyed going to college because I love the academic atmosphere. There's so many nice people on campus, too, and I love the person that I've become since my first semester. College does something to you... Makes you more mature, I think. Does that sound strange?"

"Not at all," Boomer assured. "I watched Brick go through some major changes when he started attending the community college in Citysville. He became less of a jerk and much more thoughtful, definitely a lot more empathetic."

A comfortable silence fell over them, the occasional sounds of infected running around and messing with more of the Utonium family's belongings interrupting it. Bubbles played with her hair, noting with slight disgust that she would have to brave ice-cold water tomorrow just to wash up.

"You know," Boomer broke the silence. "If you think about it, not knowing what comes next is actually not that bad, especially back then when we were under so much pressure from society to figure out what we wanted to do with our lives."

Bubbles pursed her lips. "What do you mean?"

"Not knowing what comes next is actually the best part about being alive." At Bubbles' perplexed expression, he continued: "When you have no idea what comes next, it's all the more reason to appreciate what you have now. Think about it: we could lose each other at any moment to those freaks outside, so we spend every day laughing and being happy because maybe one day we won't have that anymore."

His words hit her like a freight train. While Boomer was absolutely right, the thought of anything happening to him made her gut churn with dread. Tears welled up in Bubbles' eyes at the thought of their time together coming to a tragic end. She couldn't imagine surviving in this horrible world without him; she'd barely been surviving _before_ meeting him. They weren't exactly lovers or anything, but after getting to know Boomer, she knew she would never be the same if something ripped him away from her. She wasn't even sure she'd be able to handle it.

"You know, now that I think about it..." Boomer continued, turning to face her. "I don't think I've ever had a best friend before, not even as a little kid. Would it be weird if I said you're the closest I've ever had to a best friend?"

She sniffled as quietly as she could but her voice was still watery. "N-no. You're my best friend, too, B-Boomer."

He stared at her. "Are you crying?"

"N-no."

Boomer immediately moved closer to her, sticking his face so close to hers that their noses were only centimeters from touching. A slight blush tinted her cheeks when she realized that they were only one movement away from actually kissing.

"Is that why you've got tears running down your face?"

Bubbles hastily reached up to wipe them away. "I-I just got something in my eye."

"Uh-huh." He leaned away to allow her her personal space. "What's wrong? Should I not have mentioned the best friend thing?"

"No, no, I'm honored you think so highly of me that you'd consider me your best friend." Bubbles sniffled again. "It's just that... I really hope that this never has to end, you know? I used to be afraid of the infected, of my family dying, and I still am but then I met you and everything got better and..."

She shook her head, covering her face with her hands as the dam burst. "Boomer, I'm afraid of losing _you_ , too."

Her voice cracked and Boomer pulled her into a hug, letting her cry into his shirt. The thin material was soaked within minutes and he patted her back as she sobbed softly against him. It broke his heart to hear her so upset.

However, it also made him feel a little warm inside to know she cared enough about him that she was afraid of losing him. To be honest, _no one_ was ever afraid of losing Boomer. As someone who was never anyone's first choice, he quickly accepted the fact that no one—except maybe his family—cared much about his well-being or whether or not he was alive. He was just some obnoxious kid who wouldn't stop talking or stumbling all over himself; that was what his peers led him to believe and it was how they treated him, as nothing more than a nuisance to ignore or frown upon.

It was nice to know that Bubbles didn't view him in that light.

"Nothing's going to happen to me," he promised, pointing to his chest. "I'm totally indestructible."

She managed a weak smile and he gave her another reassuring squeeze.

"Nah, but everything will turn out alright, Bubbles, I promise. For now, we have to be careful and we have to keep our spirits up, but I'm confident we'll make it out of this alive. You, me, all the people we love... We'll be okay. Something's gotta give sooner or later."

"Something was supposed to 'give' a few weeks ago, when my sisters sent a rescue team my way," she countered.

"Yeah, but we're still alive. Rescue team or not, we have food, we're still alive, and we haven't lost our marbles like the infected. That's something, right?"

"Right..."

Boomer patted her back. "We just gotta be careful and keep our spirits up. I promise you, we'll make it out of this alive."

She looked up at him like a little kid. "You promise?"

"Yes. Cross my heart, hope to _live_."

She sniffled again but at least she was smiling this time.

"I'm sorry. I feel like all I do is cry when I should be brave."

Boomer pinched her cheek and she let him for once, not even trying to swat his hand away.

"None of that. You're a lot braver than most people I know and I'd honestly be concerned if you _didn't_ cry in a world like this."

Although her tears had ceased, she remained in his arms, his minty scent wrapping around her. Even through the muffled sounds upstairs, she could still make out his heartbeat. The constant _bump-bump_ of his heart was reassuring, a sign that Boomer was _here_ with her right now, that in this moment they were safe and sound and everything was okay. She'd never understood those couples that liked hearing their partner's heartbeat, but now she did, even though she and Boomer were not romantically involved.

Boomer's stomach rumbled, ruining the moment, but they both chuckled.

"That actually reminds me." Bubbles sat up and reached for her backpack. A particularly loud crash sounded upstairs but she didn't freak out or flinch; instead, she continue rummaging through her backpack until her fingers grasped the object she was looking for.

She tore off what sounded like a wrapper and held something out to Boomer.

"What's this?" he asked.

"The candy bar you gave me earlier," she replied, her free hand reaching up to wipe at her damp cheeks. "I figured we could share it. It's not a hot fudge sundae, but it's still technically dessert, right?"

"But this was supposed to be for _you_ to enjoy," he protested.

"And I will, but only if we can enjoy it together. Here's your half."

More warmth spread through Boomer's chest as he reluctantly accepted it. Bubbles looked at her own piece before lifting it up in a mock-toast.

"To staying alive."

"To staying alive," he agreed, and they bumped their halves together before taking a bite of the rich milk chocolate.

"I forgot how good chocolate was," Boomer moaned. "I think if I die, my last wish will be to eat a Hershey bar."

"'If' you die? You mean you're immortal?" Bubbles half-joked (but really, the thought of losing Boomer was just as painful as the thought of losing her family).

He laughed. "I _did_ say I was indestructible, didn't I?"

She chuckled and they both continued to enjoy their chocolate, both realizing that Bubbles had been right.

It tasted much better knowing that they were both savoring the candy together.

* * *

As the night wore on, the infected eventually left. Bubbles fully anticipated another mess when morning arrived, but for now, she and Boomer were still appreciating the silver stars being projected onto the ceiling.

After finishing their chocolate, they'd settled close together and dozed on and off as midnight blended into one o'clock, then two.

Bubbles was in a deep sleep dreaming about being bored in class, when a loud cry yanked her back to consciousness. She jolted up and groped around for her baseball bat, blinking furiously in an attempt to get her bearings. Within a second of grasping the bat, however, the answer to her silent question of 'what's going on?' became clear as soon as she looked over at her companion.

The turtle plush was still on and still projecting those lovely star-shaped lights onto the ceiling. It gave off enough light for Bubbles to see that Boomer was tossing and turning in his sleep, a few whimpers escaping him as his head moved from side to side.

 _He's having a nightmare,_ Bubbles realized, and she let go of the bat to reach out to touch his arm when he suddenly lurched forward, chest heaving with pants. He looked around, eyes wild with terror before he realized he was okay, and he let himself fall back onto the pillows. Embarrassed, he brought an arm up to cover his eyes.

Bubbles had never seen him look so afraid before. His lips quivered with every pant as if he were fighting back tears.

"Boomer?"

"I-I'm sorry." His voice was thick. "I-it was a nightmare."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Bubbles offered, taking his free hand into hers. Boomer was silent for a moment and she wondered if he'd fallen back asleep. However, she didn't have to wonder for long because he moved his arm to sit up.

"It's hard for me to admit, but... It was about my father," he murmured. "About the day he woke up as one of _them_."

When Bubbles didn't reply, he went on: "When he turned, it was like nothing I ever saw before. It took almost a full day for the infection to kick in and we watched him grow more and more aggressive with every hour. He tried picking fights with Brick and Butch since they were the ones keeping a close eye on him, and at one point he had Butch up against the wall by the throat. Brick managed to talk him down, but he would've beat the shit out of Butch, and that's no small feat... You've seen my brother, he's _huge_ , and Mojo, he's always been thin, but he picked him up like he weighed _nothing_."

The brokenness of his tone tugged at her heartstrings. She couldn't imagine watching her own father lose his mind like that, to know that it was only a matter of time before he became a monster.

"The day after he turned, he took off towards Townsville. I still remember... I was dozing off outside his bedroom. Brick and Butch were sitting at his bedside, but they were asleep in the chairs they pulled up. Mojo got up, came into the living room, and he looked like... Well, he looked like death. He was breathing all heavy, his eyes were bloodshot to the point I think his whites of his eyes were completely pink instead of white, and he kind of reminded me of one of those big cat documentaries. You know, the ones where they film lions stalking a bunch of antelopes or something? He was walking like a predator, like he was getting ready to hunt something.

"He came over to me and I pretended I was still sleeping, but he didn't try to bite me or attack me. It was weird... The day before, he was ready to pummel Butch into a bloody pulp but he seemed to be hesitating when he saw me. Mojo just sniffed around the living room before leaving. I woke my brothers up and told them what happened, but it didn't make any sense; why would Mojo leave me alone when he was ready to _kill_ Butch for breathing?"

Boomer's eyebrows knitted together as he frowned. "We thought maybe Mojo would lead other infected back to us, but we never saw him again. After he left, I started having nightmares. I don't get them often but when I do, they seriously f-freak me out."

"Do the nightmares usually center around your dad?" Bubbles asked. Boomer exhaled through his nose.

"Yeah... Mostly they're about him _not_ hesitating. Some of them are about him chasing me down until he finally catches me, and then I wake up. Sometimes I dream that I'm infected and I go after my brothers. More often than not, though, the nightmares usually revolve around him brutally killing Brick and Butch in front of me while I'm frozen to the spot and then, when he's ready to attack me, I wake up. I'm scared of losing them, Bubbles, they're... Th-they're the only family I have a-and..."

His voice cracked and Bubbles immediately pulled him into a hug. His tears wet the top of her tank top as he cried and she held him tightly, as if her grip would help keep him from falling apart.

"A-and I'm scared of losing you, too," he added. "You really are the best friend I've ever had. If I lose anymore people I care about, I don't..."

He sniffled thickly and pulled back to wipe his eyes with his hoodie sleeve. "I don't know what I'll do. I d-don't think I can go on.."

Bubbles was about to reply when he continued to speak. "A-and tonight's nightmare was probably the worst one yet. It wasn't completely about my dad, though, which is honestly a shocker."

"Then who _was_ it about?" she asked.

"Well.. Half of it was about my dad, b-but..." Boomer lowered his gaze. "The other half... Was about you, Bubbles."

She blinked. "Me?"

He lifted his hands to his face again, almost ashamed. "I-I dreamed that one of those things got in and hurt you, and I c-couldn't do anything to protect you. I watched you d-die."

A quiet sob escaped him and she rubbed his back. When she was younger, sometimes she'd have a rare dream of losing one of her sisters or her father, so she knew how rattling a dream like that could be.

"I'm not going anywhere," Bubbles promised. "I'm here and we're in this together."

"I-I know that, but.. Oh man, I'm gonna sound like a hypocrite for saying this," he gave a bitter chuckle. "I lectured you all those times about worrying but _I_ worry, too. I worry that something might happen, that maybe we'll get discovered or they'll catch us off-guard. I know you're here with me but there's always a chance that something bad could happen."

"Yeah, but you could argue that about any situation," she countered, rubbing circles into his back. "I mean, if you leave your house to go to the mall, there's always a chance that something bad could happen, right? You could get into a car accident, you could get mugged, your debit card might get rejected and then you can't buy yourself fro-yo or pretzel bites."

She felt Boomer smile weakly at that last part.

"There's always a chance that something bad could happen, especially to us, but we're doing everything we can to be careful. We're not going out at night, we stay quiet, we're hiding down here where we have an escape plan should one of those things bust the door down, and we're staying close together. I seriously doubt that anything will happen to me or you, and if it does..."

Bubbles sighed. "If it does, then I like to think that we'll get to see our families again in the afterlife. But that's worst-case-scenario; we're going to make it out alive and they will, too."

"N-no, I know, and I'm n-not saying I don't have faith in us," he protested weakly. "What I meant was... I just... _Ugh!_ Everything's coming out all wrong tonight."

He pulled back from her to cover his face with his hands. "I'm sorry."

"Boomer." Bubbles gently pried his hands from his face. He was a mess, with tear-tracks streaking down his face, eyes puffy and probably red, his lips wet from a few stray tears that dribbled down to kiss the edges of his mouth.

"You don't have to apologize for everything." She reached up to gently pinch his cheek. "I got you, okay? I understand."

It was then that something between them changed.

They looked into each other's eyes for a little while despite the darkness, the silver star lights above offering a different sort of light. The atmosphere had changed and neither of them could think of a word to accurately describe _what_ they felt in that moment. It's just that the cool darkness of Professor Utonium's lab, their last stand against the infected, was no longer filled with tension, anxiety, or dread that they would be discovered. A sort of peace had chased away all of the negative emotions that had plagued them for the past few weeks, and with this peace came something else that neither of them could accurately describe.

Boomer's gaze drifted down to her lips, though Bubbles thought his eyes had closed. She leaned her forehead against his, her heart hammering in her chest at their close proximity. Something had changed between them and she wasn't sure when it had happened or what to make of it. Did Boomer like her? Did she like him back in that way? Okay, so the answer to the second question was a resounding 'yes,' but what if he didn't feel the same way? And even if he did, was this really the appropriate time to start a relationship, when they could be ripped away from each other at the drop of a hat?

However, Boomer's eyes lifted to hers once more, a silent question in his half-lidded gaze. She wasn't sure what he was asking but offered him a smile anyway. It was then that his eyes closed and he leaned closer, so close that his breath ghosted over her mouth, and then Boomer's lips met hers.

Bubbles froze at the action, eyes widening with surprise. The kiss was tender and sweet, nothing more or less than innocent affection. She'd kissed a few boys before but no one ever kissed her as tenderly as Boomer was kissing her now.

Suddenly, Boomer pulled back like he'd been burned, his expression morphing into one of remorse. Bubbles' hand was immediately at her mouth as if she was trying to decide whether or not the kiss had been real while Boomer began sputtering apology after apology.

"Oh man, I'm _so_ sorry, I didn't mean to cross a line, I'm so _stupid_ and I'm sorry and—"

She silenced him by placing her lips over his this time and he melted under her once he realized her eyes were closed in gentle concentration.

His hands timidly came to rest on her hips and she snaked her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss when she tilted her head to the side. Boomer licked her bottom lip shyly and she opened her mouth to allow him access. Their tongues met in a sweet, shy dance and when they parted for air, Bubbles was the one to apologize this time.

"I'm sorry if _I_ crossed a line," she whispered. "But in my defense, you started it."

He actually laughed. "Maybe, but you had no problem finishing it."

Bubbles grinned. "You make a valid point."

Boomer leaned in again and their lips met once more, though this time he was much more bold, his teeth nibbling playfully at her bottom lip. In turn, Bubbles reached up to tangle her fingers in his silky locks and gave them a soft tug, causing him to moan quietly.

When they parted again, they both wore huge, dopey grins and couldn't stop the semi-awkward giggles that burst forth. Even though they couldn't quite make out the color of each other's faces, it was clear they were both blushing bright red. Butterflies raged through both of their stomachs, their pulses thumping furiously, and they trembled with the nervousness and excitement that often comes with the realization that one's feelings are reciprocated.

When they could finally look each other in the eye again, Boomer's hand found hers and intertwined their fingers together.

"I've been dying to do that," he admitted, leaning forward to rest his forehead against hers.

"To kiss me or hold my hand?" Bubbles teased.

Boomer chuckled. "Both."

"Honestly? Same here."

At that, Boomer's eyebrows rose with surprise. "Really?"

"Mm-hmm."

"So... What does this make us?" he asked.

She had wrestled with her feelings for so long and rationalized time and time again how a relationship couldn't and shouldn't happen in their circumstances, yet now, Bubbles realized a relationship might not be such a bad thing. Boomer had been onto something earlier when he said that not knowing what happened next made every waking moment something to appreciate. If they were going to die soon, then Bubbles would rather die knowing she had spent her final days cuddling and kissing Boomer and being happy with him than to die and regret not telling him how she truly felt.

"I don't know," Bubbles admitted, her free hand coming to cup his jaw. Her thumb caressed his skin lovingly. "But... I'm pretty sure I'm yours."

Boomer nuzzled his nose against hers affectionately. "I'm pretty sure I've been yours for a while now, Bubbles."


	15. Chapter 15

**To minimateking30: thank you so much, I'm so happy to hear that! ^_^**

 **To ROCuevas: thank you! :)**

 **To LustLets: Here's hoping! *fingers crossed***

 **I think this is the longest chapter I've written for this story so far. I must've scrapped this chapter at least twenty times before I became satisfied with how it turned out, hence why I took so long to update. Nevertheless, enjoy!**

* * *

 **.: 15 :.**

Buttercup turned onto her side, groaning when she felt a twinge of pain shoot through her neck from sleeping wrong. After more sharp pains shot through her shoulder blades, she reluctantly sat up, wincing at the bright light that flooded through one of the windows.

It took her a moment to realize that one of them was uncovered, exposing the living room to anyone or any _thing_ that might be lurking outside. She quickly got to her feet and moved to re-cover it when something caused her to glance at the Professor, who was still asleep on the couch.

The man's face was clammy in the morning light, his damp, sweaty hair clinging to his forehead. His features were troubled and his breathing seemed much more rapid than before. Two thick blankets had been draped over him despite the high humidity, yet he shivered as if it were below freezing. Buttercup approached him cautiously, bringing her wrist to his forehead to see if her suspicions were true.

He was burning up.

Professor Utonium had seemed fine only hours earlier. Ms. Keane had found a deck of Uno cards upstairs and they'd all played a few rounds, a welcome reprieve from deciding how they would proceed in this new world. They'd laughed and shared stories and reminisced about how the world used to be, even though it had only been a few weeks since the outbreak.

It had been three days since they'd taken refuge in this house, the infected leaving them alone for some reason. Buttercup had heard them stalking around at night and knew a few had lingered around this particular house, yet none of them decided to break in. It was puzzling, to be honest, but she knew better than to look a gift-horse in the mouth. They were alive and okay for the most part, and that's how Buttercup wanted it to stay.

But this new development wasn't good; the Professor shouldn't have a high fever. Buttercup was sure he wasn't infected, since he probably would have turned the day after they got here if he _had_ been bitten, but there was clearly something wrong. It was then that she realized Blossom and Ms. Keane were nowhere to be found, however, the smell of chicken wafting through the living room indicated that someone was in the kitchen cooking something. She wasn't sure how that was possible, considering electricity was no longer an option, but the smell made her stomach growl.

She reluctantly left Professor Utonium's side to peek into the kitchen, where Ms. Keane was stirring a pot of chicken-flavored ramen noodles. Blossom was in the process of wetting a washcloth with cold tap water at the sink, wringing out the excess before turning on her heel. She was about to return to the Professor to place the cool cloth on his forehead when she realized Buttercup was standing there.

"Good morning."

"Morning," Buttercup's voice came out hoarse and she winced. After clearing her throat, she tried again: "What's going on with the Professor?"

Blossom's smile gave way to a worn, tired expression, her eyelids drooping slightly as her lips fell into a frown.

"So you noticed the fever, too."

"He's burning up, how could I not?"

Ms. Keane gave the noodles one final stir before adding the rest of the flavor packet to the mix. The smell of chicken was stronger now and while it made Buttercup's stomach growl fiercely, she wanted to know why her father was shivering when it was heading for ninety degrees outside.

"We think his wound is infected," the redhead explained. "When I took off the bandages to clean it this morning, it looked even worse than it first did despite my attempts to sterilize it."

"So you don't think he was bitten?"

"No," Blossom reassured. "If he was infected, he would have turned already. He's still lucid when he's awake and he's not exhibiting any symptoms other than chills and a fever."

Buttercup swore under her breath. "Wonderful _._ And what about you, Teach? Do you think your burn might be getting infected?"

"I'm alright," the older woman replied, offering a weak smile. She held up the affected arm to show off her sleeve and the slight bump that indicated bandaging. "I managed to find a thin long-sleeved shirt to keep it safely covered after I wrapped it, so I think it's going to heal without any complications."

Blossom left the room to place the cold washcloth over her father's forehead. When she returned, Ms. Keane had poured Buttercup a bowl of noodles and the noirette barely managed a 'thank you' before digging in.

"If you don't mind." Buttercup's attention was brought back to her sister, a few stray noodles hanging from her lips. "I could actually use your help. I managed to give him the Advil I found in the downstairs bathroom, but there were only two pills in the bottle and he was in enough pain that he asked for both. We're going to have to go out and find more if we want to keep that fever down and help him manage the pain."

Determination flickered in Buttercup's lime-green eyes as she wiped at her mouth. "Alright, I'm in. When do we leave?"

* * *

They found themselves standing outside a beautiful Victorian-style house located a few blocks from their current residence, and the beautiful building looked like it cost a pretty penny back when humans ruled the earth. Buttercup wouldn't have thought twice about the building a few weeks ago, but now, if she was being completely honest, it was actually intimidating; who knew how many infected could be holed up inside?

Before they'd left to journey to this particular house, Ms. Keane insisted that Blossom eat something. It was when the girls had finished their makeshift breakfast that they explained they were going out to scavenge and, although the former teacher had been hesitant to let them go, she eventually relented and wished them good luck, promising to watch over the Professor in their stead.

"I didn't think I'd ever admit this about anything," Buttercup huffed. "But I'm _really_ not sure about this, Bloss."

"If we can get our hands on medicine, we can control the fever," Blossom reminded. "I know it's dangerous, but trust me, if we can score ibuprofen or penicillin, it'll be worth it."

It was highly unlikely they would find penicillin, but the redhead figured anything was possible.

"Do this for the Professor." Buttercup exhaled, her apprehension only increasing the more she thought about how badly this could actually go for them. "Right."

"We'll have to be quiet," Blossom murmured, her pink-colored eyes scanning the house much like Buttercup had done earlier. "I don't think there's anything inside, but you never know."

It was times like this that Buttercup missed her beloved baseball bat, who she'd named 'Big Bessie.' Blossom always said it was silly to give a name to an inanimate object—personification was only meant for literature and poetry, she'd argued—but since when did Buttercup _ever_ listen to Blossom?

...Okay, so current times called for her to listen to the red-haired know-it-all, but that wasn't the point!

All she had was her pocketknife, the weapon handle clutched so harshly in her palm that she was sure indentations were beginning to form upon her skin. The measly knife wouldn't do much damage but she'd be damned if she didn't go down at least _trying_ to fight for her life. Blossom carried a simple hammer she'd found in the house's garage. If this had been any other situation, Buttercup might have laughed at how ridiculous they must look. However, since today's agenda was serious, she held her tongue and instead focused on the task at hand.

They approached the front porch warily, careful to keep their steps as quiet as possible. Blossom grabbed a bobby pin from her hair and handed it to Buttercup, who picked the lock with ease. The door creaked open to reveal a dark hallway, the faintest traces of any sunlight peeking from upstairs.

Both girls listened intently. They weren't sure what the infected sounded like when they were sleeping—did they even sleep, for that matter?—but they knew that the infected were loud. Heavy, labored breathing, grunts, hissing; if there were any in this house, the girls would know right away. While a majority of the infected had rapidly gained intelligence, a few remained clumsy and stupid, operating solely on primal instincts.

"I don't hear anything," Buttercup whispered. "I'll go in first. You check the kitchen, I'll check the living room."

Blossom raised an eyebrow. "You really think we should split up?"

"You got a better idea? What if we're both in a room and one of them sneaks up on us? If we're separated, at least one of us can scream and warn the other to get out of dodge."

"Buttercup, if we get killed..."

The noirette set her jaw stubbornly. "We won't. Just follow my lead."

Without another word, Buttercup entered the house and crept into the living room. Old, dried blood stained the carpet in thick splatters, more of the substance clinging to the coffee table and television set, but the room was open despite the abundance of antique furniture and grotesque smears. This room was clear.

Blossom came around the corner after a spell. She gave a thumbs-up, and they both proceeded towards the stairs. Buttercup went up first, careful to keep her footsteps as quiet as possible. One particular stair creaked loudly and she mentally swore, freezing to listen. When it was clear that nothing had heard them and there was no sound of movement, they continued until they reached the top stair.

Buttercup motioned for her sister to check out the main bathroom while she searched the bedrooms.

After her sister disappeared into what appeared to be a guest bedroom, the noirette remained in the doorway for a moment before peeking past the shower curtain. There was nothing hiding there, thank God, and so she checked the sink cabinet. Nothing there either; all clear. She quickly went through the medicine cabinet and grabbed anything and everything she figured they could use, beaming when she spied a full, unopened bottle of Advil sitting on the top shelf.

 _Score!_

After she emptied the cabinet, she moved on to the master bedroom. The walk-in closet was empty and there was nothing hiding under the bed. Blossom appeared in the doorway and reported the same about the other rooms she'd checked: the house appeared to be free of infected.

"I found some Advil," Buttercup said, jerking her thumb towards her backpack. "Think that'll be enough to help control Professor's fever?"

Blossom let out a sigh of relief. "Yes, that's perfect for now. It's a shame we couldn't find a form of penicillin, but beggars can't be choosers. We got really lucky; I was certain we'd run into one of those things and I'm not sure how I would have handled it if we did."

"I know how _I_ would've handled it." Buttercup mimed hitting a home-run. Blossom was about to reply when she began to feel odd, as if they weren't alone. Outside, it was completely silent. The usual chorus of summer insects was absent, as was the chirping of birds. Hadn't the world been abuzz before? Blossom could've sworn there had been birds singing before..

"Hey, Buttercup?"

The noirette cocked her head curiously. "What's wrong?"

"Do you feel funny?" Blossom looked around the room, pink eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"No, why?"

"I don't know. I just feel like..." Chills ran up and down her spine and the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. The house had felt fine before; it was, after all, just a building, and they'd checked every room, every nook and cranny that might hide an infected, so it was an empty building at that.

Both girls remained silent for a moment as Blossom tried to figure out how to put her feelings into words. It felt like something was close by, like there was another presence. The floorboards weren't creaking with footsteps and the entire house, as well as the entire outside world, was quiet. Nothing was going on, yet it felt like they were surrounded by an invisible crowd, as if...

Blossom's face drained of color when she realized what the feeling was. "It feels like we're being watched."

Buttercup frowned. Now that she thought about it... Something truly didn't feel right. There was nowhere for an infected to hide in here and they'd checked every possible hiding spot in this house, but she wouldn't put it past those monsters to get creative about stalking their prey.

"Let's get out of here," she murmured. "Come on, you go first; I'll be right behind you."

They made their way back downstairs and quickly exited the house. To their relief, nothing was lurking around outside and the cacophony of nature was just beginning to start up again. Blossom felt much better once the sunshine warmed her skin, that prickly uncomfortable feeling leaving her more and more as they got further away from the house.

"That was freaky," she murmured, readjusting her backpack.

"I can't believe we made it out of there in one piece," Buttercup remarked.

"Speaking of which..." Blossom grinned. "How did you know to do all that?"

"Do what?"

"Pick the lock, divide and conquer; I thought _I_ was supposed to be the leader," she nudged her sister playfully and Buttercup laughed.

"Remember Mitch Mitchelson, back in Pokey Oaks?"

"You mean that weird, rude boy who used to torture the class hamster?"

"Yeah... Poor Twiggy. At least she found a good home that treated her well." They both paused, reminiscing about the cute little creature, before Buttercup continued. "Anyway, Mitch was the one who taught me a thing or two about picking locks. We used to play manhunt with a couple of other kids and we usually played in an old abandoned trailer park he used to live by. Sometimes we used to like hiding out in the old rickety trailers, but couldn't thanks to the locks on the front doors. Mitch taught me how to pick them so that our team would be able to use the trailers to our advantage. Man, those were the days..."

Blossom chuckled. "I never thought I would say this, but it looks like your rebellious days paid off."

"Yeah." Buttercup laughed again. "Who knew lock-picking would actually be a good thing?"

* * *

They reached their temporary residence within twenty minutes. The house was silent but Blossom didn't think anything of it. With the Professor sleeping and Ms. Keane most likely curled up with a book (the teacher had been eyeing a particularly thick tome in the bookcase), they hadn't expected a noisy home. Silence was also a good thing because it meant the infected wouldn't have a clue that humans were taking shelter within.

However, as Blossom drew closer to the living room where both adults were, an odd noise caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up. The noise resembled that of a messy eater sloppily devouring a large meal, as if they couldn't get enough of the food in front of them. Warning bells went off in her head but she ignored them and peeked around the archway anyway, the sight before her causing the blood in her veins to run ice-cold.

Ms. Keane was not curled up with a book and the Professor was no longer laying on the couch; they were on the floor, the kindergarten teacher cradling him like a widow would cradle her deceased lover. Professor Utonium's eyes were closed in what looked to be blissful peace while Ms. Keane's face was buried in the crook of his neck, her mouth glued to the tender flesh there. Dread filled the pit of Blossom's stomach and she prayed this was some kind of sick prank.

Buttercup, who had been following closely behind Blossom, went ahead past her sister and entered the living room. She froze for a second at the sight before them but recovered much faster than Blossom, who wanted nothing more than to grab her sister and get as far away from this house as possible before Ms. Keane realized they were there. Yet Blossom found that she couldn't move; she, along with rational thought, were frozen with shock.

"What the hell are you doing?!" the noirette demanded, moving to approach both adults. "The Professor's injured and he's sick! What are you—"

The former schoolteacher turned and hissed at Buttercup, stopping the girl in her tracks. Ms. Keane's gorgeous blue eyes were now a violent red, black spidery veins branching out from around her eyes. Blood was smeared around her mouth and stained her previously-white teeth, two unnaturally-sharp canines poking out from her upper lip. Horrified, Blossom's gut sank as her suspicions were confirmed: Ms. Keane was actually _feeding on the Professor_ and was no longer the sweet and caring human being she once was.

"Holy shit," Buttercup whispered, taking a step back. She almost bumped into Blossom, but the redhead shifted to the side just in time. "You're one of _them_."

"Now _girls_ ," the woman's voice was still sweet and melodic, yet now it was warbled with a darkness that made Blossom's gut churn with more dread. " _Please_ stay where you are."

Blossom was shocked the infected woman possessed the ability to form coherent speech. How the hell was Ms. Keane speaking? Didn't the infection scramble a person's brains and reduce them to primitive instincts?

Nevertheless, they were in a _really_ bad situation right now; the infected were not known for being slow and if they weren't careful, they would end up just like their father, if not torn to pieces.

Ms. Keane returned her attention to the Professor, bringing up her thumb to caress his cheek lovingly before she nuzzled the crook of his neck, her red lips once again latching onto the previous wound she'd made. She bit into the tender flesh once more to reopen it, lapping at it to coax more of his blood out, and the Professor groaned softly. His expression—which, strangely enough, had morphed into pain when Ms. Keane _stopped_ feeding from him—became peaceful again, almost mirroring pleasure as the former teacher slowly drained his remaining life force from him, his daughters unable to do anything but watch in muted horror.

When Ms. Keane had finished, she licked her lips and gently lowered him to the ground, his expression still hauntingly content. The sight burned itself into Blossom's mind and she wanted to cry, to scream, to hurt the infected woman masquerading as their former kindergarten teacher, but she was still frozen where she stood, unable to even wiggle her fingers if she wanted to.

"It's only a matter of time, now." That sickly-sweet voice came again, sounding much more like Ms. Keane and much less like someone infected. "Your father was a wonderful man and you girls meant the world to him. I remember your very first day at Pokey Oaks, I literally had to push him out the door because he was so worried about you three and whether or not you'd make friends or feel welcome at school. He loved you dearly."

"And you killed him," was all Blossom could whisper, her emotions catching up to her. Tears blurred her vision and her heart clenched painfully at the sight of her father laying on the floor lifelessly, his eyes sunken in, cheeks pale and hollow with death. At least he looked peaceful. The lump of grief that lodged itself in her throat made it hard to breathe, let alone talk.

"Y-you took our father away from us."

Ms. Keane turned to face them, her eyes no longer a threatening red but rather a hypnotizing ocean-blue, mirroring the color it had been when she was still human. A sliver of sympathy swirled in her intense gaze but it didn't make Blossom or Buttercup feel any more at ease.

It struck the girls that somehow, Ms. Keane was so much _prettier_ now than she ever had been during her human life. Her skin looked like pure porcelain with no imperfections whatsoever. Her perpetually-youthful face looked like it had been sculpted from the finest marble, her short black hair shiny and smooth-looking. The graceful way she moved, the quality of her voice... The woman was painfully perfect.

Blossom and Buttercup were astounded at this because the infected they'd seen _never_ looked beautiful; they only looked like savage, bloodthirsty beasts.

Then again, they had never encountered the 'smart' ones that had somehow evolved. They had no idea what kind of tricks this 'type' of infected had up their sleeves, what they looked like (did their appearances vary? Ms. Keane didn't look or act anything like the infected from the initial outbreak), or how their minds worked. Blossom had done a bit of thinking about this the past few days and, now that she was actually standing in front of an evolved specimen, she was reminded of one word she never thought she would use to describe the infected.

 _Vampire._

The fangs, the thirst for blood, the fact that the infected _always_ went for the neck (specifically the jugular) but never actually consumed flesh, the super speed, aggression, the inhuman beauty that Ms. Keane exhibited, the impossibly-fast rate of evolution... Blossom could have slapped herself for using such a ridiculous term to describe these monsters, but it made so much sense. Some of the horror movies Buttercup had subjected the Utonium family to had portrayed vampires in a similar manner and, while every movie differed in their portrayal of the blood-sucking monsters, the creatures currently plaguing her world fit the basics to a T.

But that begged the question: would traditional methods of repelling vampires work? Did garlic hurt them? What about holy water, crucifixes, not being able to cross bodies of water? Did sunlight have any affect on them? If they couldn't handle the sun, maybe Blossom and Buttercup could use that to their advantage and either toss Ms. Keane outside into broad daylight or they could escape, since she might not be able to follow them out into direct sunlight.

Stakes would definitely work, wouldn't they? No one survived a hunk of wood stabbed into the heart. Too bad she and Buttercup didn't have anything like that, and it sucked that Blossom couldn't have had this epiphany weeks ago. Maybe then none of this would have happened; she'd still be in the evacuation zone, with Buttercup and the Professor (alive), Bubbles on her way to them, safe and sound, humanity gaining the upper hand over these creatures. Maybe if she'd brought her suspicions to the scientists and doctors that had been working around the clock to find a cure, to the military personnel sacrificing their time and lives to keep civilians safe, maybe everything would be better than it was now.

...Or maybe the scientific community would have laughed at her and labelled her as a certified nutcase. _Vampire..._ who in their right mind would think to compare the infected, a very real threat, to a mythical monster?

"Your father was _dying_ ," the woman hissed, pulling Blossom out her thoughts. Both girls were surprised to find no malice in Ms. Keane's voice. Perhaps hissing was just one of the ways the infected spoke, which was disturbing in itself, but at least her tone lacked hostility. "But I _saved_ him. It won't be long now, girls; soon you'll have your father back and then you'll be one of _us_."

Buttercup seemed to snap out of the horrified trance she'd been in and came back to herself. She swallowed thickly.

"How?" she whispered. "Y-you were... You said you weren't bitten!"

Ms. Keane grinned, showing off perfect straight teeth sans the fangs they had seen earlier. Were they retractable? Blossom wanted to pinch herself; there was no way all of this was real. Sandra Keane was a gentle, honest woman, she would never lie or hurt anyone, and vampires _didn't_ exist! None of this should even be possible, and yet here it was, staring her in the face:

Ms. Keane had lied to them, had taken advantage of their willingness to help others in need, and she had taken advantage of the Professor's weakened state to turn him into her next meal. And Ms. Keane, based on Blossom's suspicions, was a _vampire._

"I _was_ bitten. It was before your father found me."

Blossom's eyes flickered towards the arm that sported Ms. Keane's supposed burn wound. As if on cue, the school teacher lifted her sleeve to reveal no ugly wound or wrappings; instead, all Blossom saw was clear, blemish-free skin in its place, as if the burn had never been there to begin with.

"So you were never burned. Was that where you were bitten? Did you just smear stuff around it to make it look like a burn?" Buttercup asked.

"No, dear, I _did_ get burned," Ms. Keane affirmed. "It took a little longer to heal than it usually would, but I did actually have a burn wound."

"H-how long does it usually take to heal?"

"Minutes."

Blossom and Buttercup shared a worried glance. So the infected could also heal at an impossibly-fast rate. That was a problem.

"I... I still don't understand," Blossom's eyebrows furrowed together. "You've been staying with us for a few days, y-yet now you're... How—"

"As I said, Blossom, it was before your father came along." Ms. Keane looked towards the unconscious man with an unreadable expression. "It usually takes a day to turn, maybe a little longer depending on how much venom is injected, but one bite is all it took for me."

"How did you get bitten? _When?"_ Buttercup pressed.

"They infiltrated the zone a few days before the raid," Ms. Keane explained, beginning to circle them as a predator would circle its prey. "A few of us were bitten and instructed to get a read on the security measures. Did you know we weren't as safe as the military had us believe? They certainly _did_ try to keep the zone safe, but there were quite a few holes in their defenses. Once we figured out how to take advantage of these lapses in judgment, it was easy; all we had to do was set a few fires, distract the authorities, and we let the rest of our people inside."

"So you helped kill off what may have been the last shred of humanity," the black-haired girl growled. "How's it feel to know you had a hand in murdering innocent people?"

Ms. Keane had the decency to look ashamed. "We aren't trying to murder people."

"Oh really? And how do you explain what happened at City Hall?"

"I had nothing to do with the atrocities that took place there!"

"But you definitely had a hand in what happened at the evac zone!"

Those hypnotic orbs flashed a warning red. "Buttercup, you're trying my patience. Please hold your tongue."

"How about no, you bloodsucking—"

"This doesn't make sense."

Ms. Keane and Buttercup turned to Blossom in mild surprise.

"You can speak clearly, just like when you were human," Blossom protested. "You're not... You never exhibited the usual signs of infection, you're not trying to rip us all into pieces... How is this possible?"

"Not all of us allow our bloodlust to take over, Blossom," the woman's voice was almost condescending now. "We don't always have to act like savages. Many of us are still human, you know. We just have a different palate."

"Still human and yet you lied to us." Buttercup didn't attempt to hide the resentment in her voice. "How could you do this to us? We took you in, we ate together! We _watched_ you consume food; this doesn't make any sense!"

"We can have regular food, we just don't gain any nourishment from it," Ms. Keane explained calmly. "And I did it because of _him_."

"Who?" Blossom asked, confused.

The woman gestured to Professor Utonium, her expression growing disgustingly dreamy. "I did it because he's _mine_."

It was ironic that only days ago, Buttercup had felt happy to see her old teacher when at this very moment, she wanted to wipe that saccharine smile off her perfect face.

"The Professor doesn't belong to _anyone_ _,_ " the raven-haired girl growled. That earned her a glare from Ms. Keane.

"You don't understand," the older woman shook her head impatiently. "And you won't be able to until you turn."

" _What_ don't we understand?" Blossom pressed. In all her years, she'd never dealt with a mind-fuck of a situation such as the one at hand and she was trying to understand, to process everything that Ms. Keane had said—as well as the fact that everything she thought she knew about the infection had just been overturned the moment she took one look at this new version of her kindergarten teacher.

"Trust me, you'll see once you become like me. It's splendid," the older woman clasped her hands together excitedly. "You become so much stronger; power courses through your veins and you experience the world much more clearly than you ever could before. It's _wonderful_. I can't wait for you two and your father to experience all of this like I am; Bubbles, too, if she hasn't already become one of us. We'll be a _family_ , girls!"

 _What does she mean 'we'll be a family'?_ Buttercup wondered. _What the hell does she think is going to happen? Is she so fucked up from the infection that she thinks we'll be some kind of infected family after she kills us?_

Blossom reached out a hand towards Buttercup's, a sister searching for some semblance of comfort. Neither of them had anticipated that things would end up like this, cornered by someone who wore a familiar face yet couldn't be more of a stranger. The sudden epiphany that these creatures were practically vampires plus the grief of her newly-deceased father, add on the knowledge that someone she and Buttercup had trusted and taken in as one of their own had betrayed them so cruelly... All of this was too much to process at once and made Blossom's head feel funny. It felt like someone had picked her up and dropped her into an alternate reality where nothing made sense anymore.

Buttercup took her sister's hand and gave a firm squeeze, affirming that yes, she was real— _all_ of this was real and Blossom was not crazy. The noirette hadn't come to the same conclusions as her older sister, but she could tell Blossom was reeling from the shock of all that was happening. Buttercup was not usually good at comforting others but she understood that right now, Blossom was trying not to freak out and she needed something to ground her. That 'something' just happened to be her sister and normally, Buttercup would probably tell her something along the lines of 'suck it up,' but now was not the time.

Not when they were about to die.

"M-Ms. Keane," Blossom's voice shook, betraying her fear. She swallowed despite the lump in her throat and tried again. "Ms. Keane, why do you want to turn us?"

"Didn't you hear me?" The woman giggled, her voice now like tinkling bells. It made Buttercup cringe. "This new body, this new life—it's wondrous! You're strong, beautiful, fast... You become so much more than you ever were before. Why _wouldn't_ I want to turn you? This is a gift, my dear."

"Does it scramble your sense, too?" Buttercup blurted. "Because you may be beautiful and strong but you're off your fucking rocker if you think we would _ever_ want to become a disgusting monster like you."

All traces of joy and excitement vanished from Ms. Keane's youthful features and she frowned, the hypnotic blue color of her eyes morphing into a threatening red. Moving too quickly for the girls to actually see, Ms. Keane pinned Buttercup against the wall by her throat. The girl clawed desperately at Ms. Keane's hand, choking and gasping for air. It was then that Buttercup understood just how strong the infected were; all it took was the slightest flex of Ms. Keane's fingers and her windpipe would be crushed.

"You little _brat,_ " the older woman hissed, her voice warbled with darkness again. "You always _did_ have a fresh mouth on you and I've had it up to here with your attitude."

"No! Stop!" Blossom cried, moving towards both of them. "Please, Ms. Keane, let Buttercup go, she didn't mean it! Emotions are running high right now, I promise you, she didn't mean it, just please, let her go!"

The former teacher growled at the redhead in warning and Blossom halted, her heart thumping furiously against her ribcage. Ms. Keane looked her up and down, as if trying to gauge whether or not Blossom was a threat, before returning her attention to Buttercup.

"You've already killed my father," Blossom choked, tears threatening to spill over. "Are you really going to kill my sister, too? Please, M-Ms. Keane, don't do this. Just let her go."

That seemed to do the trick. Guilty blue replaced the aggravated red color of the teacher's eyes and finally, Ms. Keane released the dark-haired girl, who coughed and rubbed her sore throat as she stumbled back over to Blossom.

"I owe you one," she muttered. Blossom sent her a withered look but didn't reply.

"Now then," Ms. Keane began to circle them again. "As I was saying—"

"Wait."

The older woman paused in surprise.

"I just want to know," Blossom's voice was pained. "Did he... Did it hurt him?"

"Your father?" At the girl's nod, Ms. Keane frowned. "Turning only hurts at first, but once you get past the initial sting of the venom, it's painless."

"And do we have any other choice besides turning?"

Strangely, another sympathetic gleam flickered briefly in Ms. Keane's hypnotic orbs. "No. You don't."

"It was worth a shot." Blossom smiled wearily. "Hey, Buttercup?"

At her name, the girl looked up, though her older sister's pink eyes were still locked on the two adults before them. The bite wound on the Professor's neck was already healing, his ashen-colored cheeks becoming fuller, more perfect, more _alive w_ ith each passing minute. It was frightening yet fascinating and, although they both weren't sure what to make of the scene at hand, neither of them wanted the fate that lay in store for their father, to subsist on blood and prey on innocent human beings.

"Yeah, Bloss?"

"It's been an honor to call you my sister." Blossom squeezed her hand and tears welled up in Buttercup's eyes. She opened her mouth to reply, to say those three words she only reserved for family, yet no sounds came out. Instead, she squeezed Blossom's hand in return and it was then that Blossom closed her eyes, a resigned smile curving her lips upward.

"I promise, girls." Ms. Keane clapped her hands together, the moment effectively ruined. "It's just like going to sleep and then you wake up feeling better than you ever did before."

She sounded like a broken record. Blossom and Buttercup were sick of hearing the sales pitch for why it was in their best interest to let Ms. Keane rip into their necks.

 _Wait a second... Sales pitch,_ Blossom almost smiled. _That just might work!_

"If it's not too much to ask, can you give us a moment?" she asked. The older woman frowned, her hands dropping to her sides, and she squinted at the redhead, trying to figure out what the girl was playing at.

"If you run, you won't get very far."

Buttercup wanted to tell the former teacher to shut the fuck up, her painfully-beautiful voice was grating on her last nerve, but she remained quiet, because one, she didn't feel like getting strangled again and two, she herself was wondering what angle Blossom was working.

"No running," Blossom agreed, and Buttercup spied a slight movement on the redhead's part. Realization lit up her eyes at the crossed fingers her sister held behind her back but she lowered her gaze to the floor so Ms. Keane couldn't see and she bit her trembling lip, fighting the grin that threatened to spread across her face. Blossom had a plan and while Buttercup had no idea what it was, she trusted her older sister; her nickname was Leader Girl for a reason, after all.

"Just one moment," the girl continued. "I'd like to speak with Buttercup about all this and I think we should have a moment alone with our dad, a moment to process everything before we, um... Before we let you turn us."

Ms. Keane eyed both of them suspiciously before giving a curt nod of approval. "Very well. I will be right outside, so don't even think about trying anything funny."

The woman was gone within half a second, moving so quickly that Blossom and Buttercup hadn't seen her move at all. Had the infected always been so quick on their feet? If so, it was a wonder they _hadn't_ been killed in the evacuation zone during the raid.

"Okay, so just to be clear, you're not actually considering..." Buttercup didn't even want to finish that sentence.

"I am," Blossom said, but she shook her head 'no.' The mixed message caused the noirette to make a face.

"Huh? Seriously?"

Blossom lifted her index finger to her lips, indicating for her sister to be quiet. She then pointed towards the front door where Ms. Keane was most likely standing guard.

The message was clear: _Stay quiet, she can still hear us._

"Of course not," the redhead mouthed, making a face. Buttercup let out a relieved sigh before her gaze accidentally fell on the Professor, and that's when the grief really hit them both.

Blossom's eyes grew watery as she knelt next to the Professor and embraced him, her tears dripping onto his ruined shirt. He was completely still, growing colder and more handsome with each moment; although he was no longer alive to feel their presence, the girls needed this time to properly say goodbye.

Buttercup knelt next to him as well and they both hugged him for a moment, both of them crying and silently mourning the loss of the only parent they'd ever known. It had never occurred to Buttercup that her father might pass away before his time, especially not at the hands of someone they once trusted. Professor Utonium, while a kind and gentle soul, was strong and resilient. He was indestructible and always there when his daughters needed him; the thought of losing him was never even a thought in her mind, and yet... Here she and Blossom were, grieving over his lifeless body. She wasn't sure what hurt more, the fact that her father was gone, the fact that they hadn't been able to save him from Ms. Keane, or the fact that they hadn't been able to at least comfort him in his last moments as a human being.

Buttercup and her sisters were fully grown but they still needed their father; there was so much more wisdom for him to pass down to them and there was more laughter to be had, more meaningless little arguments, more obstacles to overcome together. He had yet to see any of his daughters get married or have children or achieve their dreams.

And now it was certain that none of that would ever come to pass. The person they were mourning over was gone and the body before them, although it would wake up soon, would never be their father again. It would be a bloodthirsty shell that only lived by causing death to everything around it.

"We love you," Blossom whispered, pressing her lips to his cold cheek. "Thank you for everything."

Buttercup wiped at a few stray tears that dribbled down her face.

"I'll miss you, Pops. Watch over Bubbles for us, wherever she may be."

After Blossom recomposed herself, she stood up slowly, careful not to make any noise.

"Do you still have your cell phone?"

"Huh? Oh." Buttercup patted her backpack before nodding. "Yeah."

"Have you heard from Bubbles at all?"

Buttercup cocked her head to the side. Blossom knew she did; any and every text she ever received from the blonde had been reported right to her... and the Professor, of course, back when he was still with them.

The redhead looked pointedly at the front door where Ms. Keane was standing guard outside. "Just, ah... Just wondering."

"What are you thinking?" Buttercup mouthed. Blossom nodded towards the kitchen door that led out into the backyard and suddenly the noirette understood everything.

Fuck the rules. They were going to make a run for it.

They tiptoed to the kitchen and Blossom ducked below the screen door window. She peeked out of it to find the backyard empty, as she'd hoped it would be. Since Ms. Keane was inhumanly fast, they would only have a split second to make a run for it before the woman realized what had happened. Not to mention she might summon other infected...

Blossom opened the back door and they both filed out as quietly as they could, Buttercup ensuring the screen door closed behind herself without even a click. They snuck towards the fence where a few of the panels were missing. Blossom paused when they reached it, trying to figure out how they could manage to squeeze past the narrow opening, when Buttercup frantically tugged at the girl's shirt sleeve.

"B-Blossom?!"

The urgency of her little sister's tone caused the redhead to whirl on her heel. She was about to send a questioning glance towards her when she realized, with great horror, why Buttercup was so desperately trying to get her attention.

Behind them, several infected were poised in a crouching position on the roof, more standing on either side of the house. Each of them were impossibly beautiful and looked ready to pounce, a few wearing amused grins. Others had the decency to look reluctant, as if they wished they didn't have to do this. All of them, however, were watching the girls intently and clearly waiting for their next move.

How did so many of them appear? Did they actually know that they were staying in that house? Did they somehow know Ms. Keane was one of them? Were they in cahoots with her this whole time and _that_ was why they held off on attacking the Utoniums—they were waiting for Ms. Keane's say-so?

Or perhaps they had been followed after retrieving medicine for the Professor. They _did_ feel odd in that old Victorian house... What if something _had_ been watching them and followed them home? The thought sent an unpleasant chill down Blossom's spine.

"There's so many of them," Buttercup whispered. "What do we do?"

"Don't. Move. A muscle." Blossom warned under her breath. She wasn't sure what was holding these creatures back, but she knew they'd spring into action if she or her sister made the slightest movement.

Buttercup wanted to argue that it was stupid to stay put when there were clearly infected surrounding them on every side, but before she could say anything, the screen door was pushed open and Ms. Keane stepped outside into the warm rays of the sun, appreciatively inhaling the fresh summer air.

So these 'vampires' could actually move about in the daytime. _Shit._

"I told you not to run," she chided. "But I figured you might be up to something. Please don't make this difficult, girls. You're only prolonging the inevitable."

Buttercup wanted to retaliate with an elegant 'fuck you' but Blossom grabbed her wrist before she could say anything and they sprinted through the fence opening without any form of resistance from the worn paneling. They slipped through just as the infected gave chase, a few of them slamming into the fence with a sickening _THUNK_.

"Where are we going?" Buttercup managed as they ran. A few infected, presumably smarter than the mindless grunts with a pack-mindset, hopped the fence with ease and were quickly gaining on them.

"I don't know!" Blossom cried. "I didn't think there'd be an army of infected waiting for us!"

They made it through another backyard, then into another where a lone shed sat on the side of the house.

Blossom pointed to it as they continued running.

" _There!_ Hurry!"

It was a terrible idea—they'd be cornered with nowhere to run—but it was all they had. The house was a bit too far and it would be too much of a hassle if the door was locked, plus the infected could get in through the windows... The shed itself had a window on two sides, but at least it was small enough that they didn't have to worry about other points of entry. Before they could make it, however, an infected pounced onto Blossom. The surprised yelp that escaped her was abruptly cut off when they hit the ground and, despite having the wind knocked out of her lungs, she fought as hard as she could to keep the man from sinking his teeth into her neck.

Buttercup didn't even think. She whipped out her pocketknife and jammed it into the man's back, earning a pained grunt from him when she yanked it back out. Her foot planted onto his side and she put all her weight into kicking him off her sister. It worked and for that split second, Buttercup took the opportunity to pull Blossom to her feet and they stumbled towards the shed, the infected man hot on their heels after he recovered.

In one swift motion, Blossom flung the door open and they threw themselves inside, locking the door behind them just in time to hear the infected slam against it.

"Were you bitten?" Buttercup demanded. Blossom shook her head.

"Of course not!"

 _BANG BANG BANG!_

The infected rammed themselves against the door and the walls, fists and claws tearing at the vinyl sliding in a desperate attempt to get to the human beings inside.

"Oh man, we're trapped," Buttercup moaned, tugging at her hair anxiously. "What do we do? What do we _do?!_ "

"I don't know!" Blossom exclaimed, frantically pacing around the small space. What had she been thinking, putting them in this shed? She'd basically signed their death certificates.

Wait a moment... Even if she and Buttercup may not make it...

"Your cell phone!" she cried, grabbing her sister by the shoulders. Despite the dire situation, Buttercup raised an eyebrow.

"What about it?"

"We might not make it out of this, but maybe Bubbles still can!" Blossom yelled, desperately pacing again to find something to protect herself with. The infected were too strong for a sliding lock to hold them at bay for long; they were cornered and it was only a matter of time now. The odds were completely against them, but they would not go down without a fight. "Tell her we love her, tell her the infected have evolved and they can talk and warn her to find somewhere safe before they find her next! Hurry!"

Buttercup practically ripped her backpack in half trying to get to her phone. When she finally grasped it, she turned it on and jammed her thumb on the messaging app. She tapped on Bubbles' name and her fingers flew against the virtual keyboard, a relieved sigh escaping her when she finally hit 'send.' Her relief didn't last long, however, because the infuriating word 'sending' remained for a few minutes, indicating cell phone service was yet again failing them.

Both of the shed's windows (one on the right side, one on the left) were smashed and both girls pressed themselves against the back wall as ash-gray arms reached in to grab at them. Blossom immediately grabbed a nearby flower pot and hurled it at the hands closest to reaching them, the ceramic shattering upon hitting its target. The owners of said arms let out pained howls as they withdrew their injured limbs, ceramic shards embedded in their skin.

" _Send_ it!" Blossom shrieked, and Buttercup sent a glare her way.

"I'm _trying!_ It's taking its sweet-ass time!"

"Please, girls, open up," Ms. Keane's voice taunted from outside. "Come now, you're acting like children. I've already told you it doesn't hurt."

"C'mon, c'mon," Buttercup growled, chewing her bottom lip anxiously. Finally, the 'sending' notification changed to 'sent' and she let out a shaky breath, silently praising God that the message was able to get through, the phone dropping from her trembling hands.

"Okay, it went through; it's up to her, now."

A hand burst through the bottom of the wooden door, cold fingers wrapping around Blossom's ankle. She screamed and kicked her leg in an attempt to get the hand to let go, but it held on firmly.

"Let _go_ , damn it!"

Buttercup jumped to her feet and grabbed the nearest tool that was laying on the bench. Clutching the hammer, she brought it down onto the infected's wrist as hard as she could. A sickening cracking noise pierced the air and the creature screeched in pain, immediately letting go of Blossom and retracting its broken wrist.

And just as suddenly as the chaos had begun, it stopped. The infected stopped throwing themselves against the walls and the door, retracted their arms from the windows, and a heavy silence replaced the previous commotion. Blossom and Buttercup exchanged a worried glance, straining their ears over the loud rush of their pulses to pick out the infected within the sudden, ominous quiet. What were they doing out there? Why had they stopped trying to get in? Was fighting the only way to get these things to leave them alone? So many questions whirled around the redhead's brain that she felt a headache coming on.

They jumped when one of the infected knocked on the door. The action was so unexpectedly human that it was frightening. Was this an example of evolution at work? And if so, how quickly could these things evolve? Were they actually regaining their humanity?

Simply put: what the _fresh fuck_ was going on?

"There's nowhere to run." A new voice, more masculine and almost... human? Who was this?

"Surrender, girls, and come out here," another masculine voice resembling a purr. "We only want to talk."

"Fuck off!" Buttercup growled, and something slammed against the door in response, one of the two males out there snarling in warning. Blossom elbowed her sister and Buttercup hissed, rubbing where Blossom had jabbed her.

"Ow! What was that for?"

Fear and annoyance flashed across the redhead's eyes. "Don't antagonize them! We're already going to die a miserable death, you wanna make it worse by poking the bear?"

"We aren't planning on killing you," the first masculine voice crooned. "We promise."

 _The hell you aren't_ , Buttercup thought.

Blossom appeared to be thinking the same thing because she pointed out, "Then why are you so hell-bent on getting to us?"

"Look, it's nothing personal. Just come out here and we'll explain everything."

"We can't."

"You mean you won't," he corrected, whoever 'he' was.

"Of course, we won't. Why would we?" she countered.

"Why do we have to turn in the first place?" Buttercup piped up, hostility absent from her voice for once.

"Come out and we'll tell you."

"Well then, I suppose we'll never know, because we're not coming out," Blossom replied firmly.

"Sooner or later, you'll have no choice. You don't have any food or water and you'll have to go to the bathroom at some point."

 _Damn it_. He had a point. Buttercup gripped Blossom's hand uncertainly.

"What do we do?" she asked. Blossom glanced down to see the girl's lime-green eyes frantically searching her face for answers, much like a frightened child would implore its mother for reassurance. "What's the plan, now? How do we get out of this?"

"You don't," a more feminine voice piped up, her words clear and without the warbled quality Ms. Keane's sometimes had. "Your only choice is to become like us."

The Utonium sisters felt the color drain from their faces at the familiarity of this new voice, but Blossom was the first to recover enough to speak.

"Robin?"

"Hi, girls."

"Robin, you..."

"Yes. I'm one of them now." Pause. "Please come out. Don't make this harder than it has to be."

Blossom exchanged a look with Buttercup. Why were the infected pleading with them when they could just kick the door down? They were certainly strong enough...

"If we become like you, what should we expect?" the redhead asked. Buttercup's head snapped to her sister, a curious scowl on her features.

"What are you doing?" she mouthed, and Blossom held up her index finger to signal she wanted a moment to hear Robin's response. Really, though, she was just stalling for time. Every second spared was potentially a second that could be used to think up an escape plan... Even though there was no possible way either of them could escape this time. The shed was clearly surrounded so even if they tried to make a run for it, they wouldn't get very far.

"Everything becomes so much clearer," the brunette replied. "You're faster, stronger, more beautiful than before. You can see more clearly, you can hear everything so much better... It's all so wonderful, Blossom."

 _She's starting to sound like Ms. Keane._ The redhead shuddered.

"What's the catch?"

"No catch."

"You kill people for food," Blossom pointed out.

"Yeah, a few of us went on a bit of a rampage," she admitted. "But that's only the first few days of bloodlust."

"First few days?" Buttercup blurted.

"Come out from there and I'll explain everything," Robin offered. "But after that, you have to let them bite you."

A shiver crept down Blossom's spine. "Let _who_ bite us?"

"I can't say. They don't want me to tell you."

"Why?"

Robin seemed to hesitate. "I'm not allowed. They outrank me."

 _Outrank?_

"What the hell does that mean?" Buttercup muttered. The brunette heard her, however.

"Just trust me, all of your questions will be answered. I know you guys aren't unreasonable so please come out here and let's talk this out."

"Them?" Ms. Keane's voice piped up. "But I thought I was the one who would—"

" _They_ belong to _us_ ," one of the males hissed. "The scientist is yours, but his daughters are ours to turn. Do not question us."

"Y-yes, your highness."

The hushed verbal exchange made Blossom and Buttercup share a glance that clearly screamed 'what the heck is that all about.' Were the infected really sophisticated enough to have formed some kind of hierarchy—specifically a monarchy?

And if so, why were these supposed 'monarchs' so interested in being the ones to turn them?

Neither girl knew what to think about any of this. Everything was twisted; their father had been taken from them, they were very close to losing their own lives, and the very creatures that had torn Townsville and Citysville apart were acting more and more human with each encounter. This had to be some kind of nightmare; no way this was reality.

Blossom exhaled through her nose, trying to clear her head and assess their situation, and Buttercup watched her expression carefully.

"Bloss? What do you think we should do?"

In all honesty, Blossom was thinking they had a one-percent chance of actually making it out alive, and even that one-percent was iffy at best. All this talk of having the girls come out without fear of harm just to hear whatever it was that the infected had to tell them... Could they use this to their advantage? If the infected kept their word and allowed them to walk outside under the guise of answering questions, could she and Buttercup take advantage of this to make a run for it?

Under normal circumstances, yes; however, they were grossly outnumbered and the infected were inhumanly fast, with Ms. Keane acting as a testimony to how quickly they could move. It made Blossom wonder why the others hadn't moved as fast as when Ms. Keane had pinned Buttercup against the wall; were they not as fast as her? Or did they just allow themselves to move more slowly to enjoy the chase?

Blossom tried picturing several scenarios of her and Buttercup making a run for it but none of them ended with them successfully outrunning their pursuers. The only outcomes were certain death or getting turned, and neither option was appealing.

Finally, the redhead simply shook her head at her sister and closed her eyes in defeat, giving Buttercup's hand a sympathetic squeeze. The dark-haired girl immediately understood and she, too, closed her eyes, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes.

There was no way out this time; they were going to die in this shed. There would be no reunion with Bubbles or even going home for that matter. This was the end.

Blossom reopened her eyes at her sister's sniffle. Buttercup angrily wiped at her tears and Blossom wrapped an arm around her shoulders, trying to offer as much comfort as she could in light of the fact that death was literally knocking on their door.

"I'm sorry, Robin," the redhead took pride in the fact that she was able to keep her voice steady when inside, she was terrified of what was to come. Ms. Keane had said it didn't hurt, but who knew if she was telling the truth? There was also the image of City Hall, of all the gory chaos they'd passed by when they were being taken to the evacuation zone; was that their future? Was that what they would do to any humans who entered their path, was that the future Ms. Keane and Robin hyped up: killing innocent human beings just to temporarily satisfy whatever twisted hunger they gained through this transformation?

The choice was clear: it was better to die than become a murderous monster like the creatures surrounding them.

"We can't become like you. We _won't_. We'd rather die."

Robin sighed. "You're sure?"

"Yes."

"And you, Buttercup?"

Despite her tears, Buttercup managed to keep her voice just as steady and strong as her sister's. "I'm with Blossom one-hundred percent on this. Sorry, Robin."

"I'm sorry, too," Robin sighed. "I'm sorry it had to be this way."

Another eerie silence settled over the shed. Both girls eyed the windows and the door warily, wondering what the infected were planning next.

They didn't have to wonder for long.

With a sudden explosion of growls and snarls, the door was ripped off its hinges. The horde of infected swarmed the doorway and fought to get inside, bodies surrounding the windows and doorway to the point where they blocked the sunlight from entering the small interior. Blossom and Buttercup screamed and kicked at the hands that clawed at them in the dark from every angle, Buttercup swinging a crowbar onto a few heads that managed to get close enough to bite. They fought as hard as they could, kicking, punching, hitting, even swinging whatever objects they could hurl at the monstrosities trying to pull them outside. Blossom had just smashed a pot over an infected's head when cool fingers wrapped around her ankle. She was swept off her feet and yanked towards the mass of bodies clogging the shed entrance, her fingers clawing at the wooden flooring for some kind of purchase. Her pink eyes were wide with terror as she reached for her sister.

"BUTTERCUP!"

"BLOSSOM!" Buttercup reached to grasp her sister's hand and caught it, the redhead's delicate fingers wrapped weakly around her own calloused ones. It was a struggle to hold onto her; whoever had a hold on the redhead was clearly determined to get her away from her sister. "Don't let go! I gotcha, don't worry, just don't let—"

A firm yank and Blossom's hand slipped from Buttercup's. She disappeared underneath the mass of bodies that was still trying to claw their way to her sister.

" _NO!_ " An infected grabbed her arm and she punched it squarely in the face, trying to fight her way through the horde even though she knew she would get bitten. "BLOSSOM! _BLOSSOM!_ "

Tears streamed down her face as she punched, kicked, and shoved but no matter what she did, it was no use; there were too many bodies swarming her. Blossom was gone.

The redhead in question was pulled through the horde easily and ended up outside of the mass of infected swarming the shed like bees around a hive. She tried to claw her way back to it, to get to Buttercup and try to help her sister somehow get out of there, but a cold hand gripped her chin and forced her to look away from the small building.

Their surroundings melted away when her eyes met his. She was shocked to find no malice in his ruby gaze, only tender affection and... Recognition? Did they know each other? He was handsome, so much more handsome than he should be, and Blossom was sure she would have remembered meeting someone as attractive as the young man currently holding her close.

The trance was broken once he buried his face in the crook of her neck. She thrashed and pushed against his chest as hard as she could to try to shove him off, but he tightened his hold on her.

"Relax." His breath tickled her ear and his voice sounded strangely... gentle? His voice lacked any sort of gravel or malice; in fact, it even sounded _human_. Was he one of the guys from earlier who had tried coaxing her and Buttercup out of the shed?

His lips pressed against her jugular in a chaste kiss and she pressed her hands against his chest.

"W-wait!" she tried. To his credit, he paused to hear what she wanted to say.

Blossom managed to sputter, "Um... W-what happened to talking things out?"

He chuckled and the sound made her blush, much to her own chagrin and disgust.

"We gave you a chance and you chose the hard way. Sorry, princess; game over."

And then his fangs pierced her neck and she screamed shrilly, desperately trying to push him off. She could feel the blood draining from her body and while it wasn't painful—it more or less resembled the feeling one gets when a mosquito lands and begins sucking blood—Blossom didn't _want_ to die, certainly not like this.

Yet the handsome stranger held firm and drank until Blossom was on the brink of death. She was barely hanging onto consciousness, the fear of her sister's fate keeping her from succumbing to the seductive embrace of death, when fire flooded her veins, a blistering heat and agony overwhelming her. Blossom's screams died down and she was pulled into merciful unconsciousness as flames consumed her insides. Her body went limp in the young man's arms as he continued injecting more of his venom into her system. When he was finished, he reached a hand to cup her cheek, the warmth there slowly giving way to the cold he and his kind were known for.

Buttercup just barely managed to break through the crowd when she heard her sister's screaming cease. She stumbled past two infected women that snapped their teeth at her only to see Blossom unconscious in an infected man's arms, a very prominent bite wound on her neck. His lips were stained with Blossom's blood and he used his thumb to wipe the excess from around his mouth, slowly licking the appendage clean as if to savor every last drop of her life essence.

Fury and grief won out over survival instincts and she surged forward, gripping the crowbar in her hand like a lifeline as she sprinted towards the infected bastard who had just killed her sister.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Suddenly, a cold arm snaked around her waist before she could reach him and it pulled her back into a firm chest, somewhat knocking the wind out of her in the process. As Buttercup struggled to get breath back into her lungs and weakly fought against the person restraining her, her head was forced to the side. She dropped the crowbar in sheer surprise when cool lips hovered at the junction between her neck and her shoulder, easily keeping her in place even as she used all of her strength to get the infected to release her.

She managed to reach into her pocket again and plunged the pocketknife into his arm; he growled before ripping the weapon out, snapping the object in two within his palm like it was nothing, then flung it aside. Right before her eyes, the wound healed within seconds as if she hadn't just stabbed him and an anguished cry escaped her at the realization that the infected really were indestructible, just as they'd discovered earlier. Buttercup yelped as he forced her head to the side once more, keeping a firmer hold on her.

"You're feisty as hell," a gruff masculine voice murmured. She didn't understand why his voice sounded so perfect and familiar but she didn't have long to ponder it because two sharp points pierced her neck.

She continued thrashing against him but he restrained her with ease. Buttercup tried elbowing him, but he tightened his grip on her to the point where it felt like her ribcage would crack if he gripped her any tighter. She had no choice but to stay still as he slowly drank from her, tears of despair and frustration running down her face. She felt faint by the time he'd had his fill; the blood loss was making her feel woozy and weak, and when he withdrew his fangs, she was barely able to register that he had kissed the wound he'd made.

"Sorry 'bout this next part, babe."

Buttercup was about to demand what the hell he meant—and how _DARE_ he call her 'babe'!—when he bit her again and this time, white-hot fire replaced the blood in her veins. She screamed her loudest and clawed at the man's arm to make him let her go, to _make it stop_ , but it all became too much for her. The unbearable heat consumed Buttercup and she, too, fell limp in her attacker's arms as the world faded to black.


	16. Chapter 16

**To RB220: thank you so much! Trust me, I wish I could update more, I love writing Bubbles and Boomer's story ^_^**

 **To Carriedreamer: oh man, first off I'm honored that you even checked out my story. I seriously love 'Ensnared'; I eagerly anticipate the next chapter, you seriously capture the Reds perfectly. Secondly, I hope this clears things up for any who may be confused:**

 **-Boomer is still with Bubbles at the Utonium house and they're both still human. He and Bubbles are completely separate from what's going on with Buttercup and Blossom; their only connection to each other is through text messages/phone calls. Buttercup and Blossom were in the evac zone with Professor Utonium, which is pretty far from where they live.**

 **-I won't say whether Blossom and Buttercup's 'captors' are the other two Rowdyruffs but I can definitely tell you that there are no OCs in this story, so I'll leave it up to you and other readers to do the math ;)**

 **To Ruffle: thank you for reading & reviewing! Glad you're enjoying the story :D**

 **Hope everyone is doing well! As always, thank you for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

 **.: 16 :.**

When the morning came, Bubbles woke up first and warmth flooded her heart when she realized they'd fallen asleep holding hands. She didn't want to pull her hand from his or do anything that might disturb his peaceful rest, so she lay there a little longer and admired her companion's features. His lips, his eyes, the cute nose, the explosion of freckles, his soft blonde hair... Why was he so perfect? How did she get so lucky that out of all the people surviving, she managed to bump into someone as genuine, kind, funny, and handsome as Boomer Jojo?

Bubbles couldn't remember ever feeling this happy with someone. She'd had a few boyfriends before but she never felt the joy, peace, and contentment that she felt with Boomer. With all the other guys, there was always a feeling of self-doubt or anxiety; she was not a perfect girl and some of her ex's enjoyed reminding her of that fact. Bubbles didn't exactly have poor judgement in men, but a few had manipulated their way into her good graces; they'd done a lot of damage, too, making little comments here and there about her small weight (she didn't have a big butt or bust, but she thought she looked okay), her fashion sense (some claimed she should wear sexier clothing but she preferred her cutesy skirts and blouses), and many insisted on only hanging out at their houses, hiding her away instead of taking her out on dates as if they were ashamed of being seen with her. Those kinds of relationships didn't last—Bubbles was a lot more observant than most people gave her credit for—and they certainly didn't result in anything past kissing.

Other guys tended to treat her like a Barbie doll in that they were happy to parade around with the pretty blonde but, other than showing her off, they couldn't care less about her personality or feelings. For some of them, Bubbles was just a trophy and it was hurtful to know they only liked her for her appearance, equally as hurtful as the snide little comments and 'suggestions' regarding her physique.

Buttercup always made sure her little sister never fell into the hands of an abusive nutcase and Bubbles could be strong when she needed to be (this entire zombie-apocalypse scenario was proof enough of just how much inner strength she possessed), but when it came to matters of the heart, she would be lying if she said some of her ex-boyfriends' words _didn't_ take a toll on her self-esteem.

It was radically different with Boomer, though; Bubbles felt like she could be herself. She didn't have to look or act a certain way around him; he'd actually been seeing her without makeup since the first day they met and he hadn't once commented on it... Not that she expected him to, but some of her ex-boyfriends always hinted—and not so subtly—that they liked her better when she wore makeup.

Since the very first moment she and Boomer met, he'd been nothing but a great friend to her and treated her like a human being instead of a Barbie doll. He was a genuinely wonderful person and accepted her for who she was, flaws and all. He'd seen her cry, he'd seen her terrified out of her mind to the point of being hysterical, yet he still stuck by her side. It was weird to think she'd ever regarded him with caution when now she would trust him with her life.

And if she was being completely honest... She knew it was a big step to think this, but she could definitely see herself falling deeply in love with him if they continued to survive.

Bubbles brushed her thumb over his knuckles and managed to nudge his hand open so she could better examine his fingers. She hadn't realized it before, but his hand was much bigger than hers, his skin firm and slightly calloused while hers was delicate and smooth. She allowed her free hand to ghost over some of the faint scars that were scattered along his skin. Each scar had a story and she was eager to hear all of Boomer's stories, good and bad.

After a little while, Bubbles knew she needed to get up and use the bathroom, so she carefully pulled her hand from his.

...Or rather, she _tried_. Boomer wouldn't let go.

She let out a surprised yelp when his hand tightened around hers and he pulled her back down into their nest of pillows, right into his chest, and wrapped his arms around her while cackling.

"Gotcha!"

She laughed as well. "You goof! Were you awake this whole time?"

"Nah, I actually just woke up. A certain _someone_ was playing with my hand."

Her cheeks flamed. "S-sorry."

"Oh my gosh, are you seriously apologizing for being sweet?"

He managed to pinch her cheek and she made a face, whining at him. He laughed again.

There came a moment when their eyes met, their huge grins only widening once eye contact was made. Even though the darkness around them was hard to see through, Bubbles knew mirth was twinkling in his sapphire eyes.

"I hope I didn't scare you," he admitted.

"Not at all."

"I'm just really happy I get to hold you like this now." Then, after a pause, "This _is_ okay, right? Or should I not...?"

Bubbles chuckled and wrapped her free arm around him, pulling him even closer as she nuzzled her face into his shirt.

"Yes, Boomer, this is absolutely-positively one-hundred percent okay."

A relieved sigh escaped him. "Good, because this... This is really nice."

She hummed in agreement. They lay like that for a little while, just enjoying the closeness of cuddling with one another. Boomer pressed a kiss to Bubbles' temple and she leaned up to peck his cheek.

"It just occurred to me that we kissed last night," he said.

Bubbles giggled. "We did."

"Did you know you're a good kisser?"

She blushed. "You're not bad yourself."

"Maybe but you're, like, _really_ good."

She playfully nuzzled her nose against his. "Is that an invitation for me to kiss you again?"

He pecked her lips. "Definitely, but not right this second. I'm pretty sure my morning breath could knock out a horse and I don't wanna accidentally knock out the prettiest girl in the world."

She giggled again. "Fair enough. My breath is probably not too great either."

It was then that Bubbles realized their cuddling needed to end.

"Uh... Boomer?"

"Yeah?"

"While I really like cuddling with you, I kind of need to get up."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why? What's on the agenda for this morning?"

"Well, I kind of need to pee."

"Oh! Sorry, then." He chuckled and let her up. "I should probably get changed anyway. Just let me know when you're about to come out of the bathroom so you don't accidentally see me in my underwear."

The thought of seeing his toned, slightly muscular chest made her cheeks flame again and suddenly the darkness was a blessing.

"Sure, n-no problem."

* * *

When they'd both gotten cleaned up for the day, they went upstairs to enjoy the thick streams of sunlight that filtered in through the living room's broken windows and the busted front door, giving the entire house a dreamy, almost nostalgic glow. It was certainly safer to remain down in Professor Utonium's lab, but there was only so much darkness they could stand. It was also a nice change to breathe in fresh air instead of the strong, constant whiff of antiseptic and chemicals.

Bubbles was sitting on the couch while Boomer was in the kitchen rummaging through their 'miscellaneous' drawer. When they'd tried to turn the turtle nightlight back on, they found its lights had grown dull and they decided a change in batteries might be in order. He'd already let out a whoop of victory after finding one battery; it was only a matter of time before he found a second one and he was determined to find it.

This particular day was bright and sunny, with a warm breeze occasionally sweeping through the house. The faint scent of lilacs would sometimes accompany the breeze and tease Bubbles' nose. It was gorgeous out and although her attention was on the phone in her hands, she was still enjoying their temporary break from the confines of the lab.

While Boomer was busy in the kitchen, she'd been checking all the news apps she was able to, even tried checking a few websites to see if there were any updates. While she knew it was probably fruitless, she still clung to the hope that maybe things had changed in humanity's favor. From what she could tell, life would never be the same again: no more internet, no more electricity, no more long-distance contact with anyone (well, that wasn't completely true; perhaps, if humanity was able to get back on its feet, a mailing system could be set up, but still, Bubbles liked having the world at her fingertips).

At one point, when Boomer had finished finding and changing the batteries, he entered the living room and plopped down beside her. Bubbles glanced up to send a small smile his way, butterflies and warm fuzzies making themselves known in her stomach. His cheeks were pink in the hazy sunlight and he leaned over to peck her forehead. Bubbles giggled, clicking her phone off.

"Were you successful in your mission?"

"Affirmative!" He mock-saluted, holding up the turtle plush. "I even tested it and we're all set for another starry evening. Did you know you had an entire pack of double-A batteries sitting at the bottom of the drawer? Brand new, too, never opened."

"Oh." She blinked. "No, I guess I forgot. I'm glad we've got it at our disposal, though."

"Same."

Bubbles ran her thumb over the slightly-cracked screen of her phone, letting her nail scratch at one particular forked crack. Boomer eyed the thin device before returning his attention to her, noticing how she nibbled her bottom lip thoughtfully.

"Nothing new, huh?"

She sighed. "No updates from any apps, websites, not even my sisters. I wish I knew what was going on out there."

"Me too." Then, after a thought, "I wish I knew how my brothers were doing."

At that, Bubbles cast a sympathetic glance towards him. He smiled weakly.

"Guess they're alright, though. Who knows? Maybe they did manage to find some decent weapons for all of us."

She nodded. "I'm sure they did. They'll be home before you know it."

"Yeah."

Neither of them spoke after that, just enjoying the sound of birds singing cheerfully outside. Boomer's expression was thoughtful and slightly sad; Bubbles reached over and took his hand, intertwining their fingers together in an attempt to relay the message that she understood, that she was with him, that he wasn't alone. He smiled at her appreciatively.

After a spell had passed, Boomer pretended to yawn and exaggerated a stretch, allowing his free arm to conveniently land around Bubbles' shoulders. She giggled.

"Really, Boomer?"

"What?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "I'm makin' my move, here."

"If you wanted to cuddle, all you had to do was ask," she teased. He grinned.

"That's true, but I like making you laugh." He tapped her nose playfully before continuing: "You know, it really sucks that I can't take you out on a date."

"I've... Never actually been asked out on a date before," she admitted. Boomer's eyes went comically huge.

"Whaaat? You gotta be kiddin' me! A girl like you? _Never_?"

She shook her head and he whistled.

"Man, that's just not right. You're the kind of girl who should be shown off, you know?" He thought about his words for a split second before the word-vomit started: "N-not that I mean you're _that_ kind of girl, the type who's only good for hanging off a guy's arm. Shit, sorry, I didn't mean it like that at all, here I go again, it's just that you really deserve the world and—"

Bubbles leaned in and kissed him, effectively silencing his rambling. Boomer kissed back after a moment, a hand coming to cup her cheek.

When they pulled apart, he licked his lips.

"I think that's the nicest way anyone's ever told me to shut up," he joked, and Bubbles giggled.

"I wasn't telling you to shut up, but I _was_ telling you that you're fine, I understand what you meant."

"Okay, good, because I don't ever mean to be, well, _mean_ , it's just that..." Boomer took a breath. "As you know, sometimes I just can't stop talking."

"True," she allowed. "But I think it's endearing."

He blushed in the afternoon light. "You're the first person to ever say something like that."

Bubbles leaned in and kissed him again and he smiled against her lips. She couldn't help but laugh.

"You're so cute."

"Says the cute one." He nuzzled his nose against hers. They both couldn't stop smiling even though their cheeks were beginning to hurt.

It was crazy how so much had changed within the last twenty-four hours. They'd gone from being friends to best friends to two people in like-like. The world held a rosy tint to it now and although their situation was still dangerous—and probably growing even more dangerous with each passing day—having Boomer around made it that much more bearable.

* * *

It was heading for noon and they'd moved to laze around in Bubbles' room. Boomer was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed Indian-style, Bubbles across from him, and her box of beads lay between them. They were busy making each other matching bracelets which were meant to be a small token of their feelings (it wasn't like Boomer could run down to the store and buy her flowers or a box of chocolates). Much to Bubbles' surprise, he had been eager to look through her collection of various-colored beads and bracelets. After gaining her permission, he sifted through the bracelets she'd finished, occasionally picking one up to admire it, then carefully placing it back where it had been laying.

"This is so cool!" he gushed, holding up a pink-themed bracelet she'd originally planned on giving to Blossom. "You made all these yourself?"

"It's nothing special," she blushed. "Just something to do when I need a break from schoolwork."

"Nothing special? Oh my gosh, Bubbles." He poked her cheek and she let him, sticking out her bottom lip in a fake pout. He laughed.

"Seriously, though, this is pretty neat! You know, I used to wear bracelets all the time in high school until Butch accidentally threw them out." He made air quotes around the word 'accidentally.'

She tilted her head to the side curiously. "Really? I didn't peg you as the type to be into wearing bracelets."

He grinned sheepishly. "Four words: seventh-grade emo phase."

She chuckled. "Well, feel free to make as many bracelets as you want. I'll make sure Butch doesn't throw any of them out."

"Sweet, thank you! Okay, so first thing's first: I remember a while back you said your favorite color was... Blue, right?" He looked to her for confirmation and she nodded. After perking up again, "Great! Alright, so that's one color... If you had to pick two other colors, which would you choose?"

"Hmm..." How long had it been since she last thought about what colors went with what? Bubbles used to be all about fashion, even missing classes if she was having a 'bad outfit' day. Sometimes she woke up feeling confident and cute, other days she woke up, took one look in the mirror, and knew it was going to be one of 'those' days where she hated everything in her closet.

Speaking of clothing... She was going to have to figure out how to do laundry soon. While she was sure her sisters wouldn't mind if she started borrowing their clothes, she preferred her own stuff. Maybe the Professor had an old washboard somewhere around the house?

Nevertheless, she tapped into her inner fashionista and decided black and white were nice complements to blue. Boomer eagerly set to work.

"What colors do you like?" she asked, and he answered the same: black, white, and dark blue.

They spent the next hour in a peaceful silence, each working on their own projects. Boomer would occasionally reach into the bead box at the same time Bubbles did, their hands brushing, to which they would blush and giggle like children.

Bubbles, unsurprisingly, as she was used to making little trinkets, finished making Boomer's bracelet first and held it up for him to see. The beads were set in a dark blue (his favorite color)-light blue (her favorite color)-black-white pattern, with her name spelled out in white letter block-shaped beads. It was simple but made with love, and Bubbles was actually quite proud of how nice it came out.

Nevertheless, with a shy smile she asked, "What do you think?"

He looked up from the one he was working on and his eyes immediately lit up.

"Wow! You made that for me? I love it!"

She blushed again as he accepted it from her, slipping it onto his wrist to admire it.

"Hands-down, this is the nicest bracelet I've ever owned. Yours is almost done, just give me five more minutes..."

She watched as he gingerly slid each bead onto the string, the colors aligning nicely. Bubbles found her gaze wandering up to his face, a look of utter concentration on his handsome features.

You'd think bracelet-making was hard work with how meticulously Boomer was working. As he slid bead after bead onto the thin string, the tip of his tongue poking out from between his lips in a fixed concentration, Bubbles couldn't help but be entranced by how adorable he looked. The bracelet looked almost exactly like the one she'd made, only it had Boomer's name in block letters instead of her own and the color pattern was slightly different even though it had the same colors as the one she'd made for him. When he finally tied the string off into a secure knot, he held it up with a radiant grin.

"For milady."

She giggled and accepted it, instantly sliding it onto her wrist.

"I think this is my new favorite bracelet," she remarked, earning a blush from the handsome blonde sitting across from her.

Suddenly, Bubbles' phone went off. She and Boomer immediately shared a glance before she grabbed the thin device and clicked it on, excitement coloring her eyes when she realized what the notification was.

"It's a text from Buttercup!" Bubbles quickly opened the message app, eyes alight with hope. Boomer crawled over to sit next to her and eyed the phone with just as much anticipation as she felt.

Apparently, there were two messages waiting to be read. The first message loaded instantly and Bubbles was slightly dismayed to find that it was sent a couple of days ago. Nevertheless, at least the message came through despite the crappy reception.

"What's it say?" Boomer asked, leaning to closer to peek at the screen.

"'Hope UR doing alright,'" Bubbles read aloud. "'Our zone was overrun. Dad was injured.'"

Her face fell at that. After a moment of recomposing herself, however, she continued, albeit with a shaky voice, "'We're OK and we'll be OK, found a safe place to stay for now. We'll keep U posted on everything that happens. Stay safe, kiddo, be careful. Love U.'"

Bubbles was about to scroll down to the next message, which had finally loaded but looked like a confused jumble of letters, when her screen went black.

"What the...?"

Bubbles hit the power button a few times, even holding it down for a few minutes, but nothing happened.

"Here, lemme try," Boomer offered. She handed him the thin device and he tried holding the power button as well as the volume buttons. Still nothing.

"It must've died," she lamented. "The battery life must've been too low. Damn it, of all times for this to happen..."

"We could always take it to my house and let it charge there," Boomer offered. "As far as I can tell from our last visit, the solar panels are still working."

That wasn't a bad idea, but they would have to play it safe as always. The last thing they needed was for an infected to discover them and chase them all the way back to the lab.

"I'll grab Buttercup's bat," Bubbles agreed. "If we leave now, we'll have more than enough time to charge my phone and get back before sundown."

"Sounds like a plan, man." Boomer stood up. "I'll go get my backpack and we'll head out."

* * *

The walk to Boomer's house was not like it had been. The golden, dreamy glow of the day had faded into a dreary gray, with clouds rolling in to block the sun. The air had a cooler feel to it despite it being summer and while Bubbles didn't mind the change in weather so much, it _did_ appear foreboding. The chorus of summer that had been playing earlier was silent. The entire world seemed to be holding its breath, but for what, she wasn't sure, though she couldn't shake the curious feeling that something was wrong, like something was lurking around the corner.

Like they were being _watched_.

The feeling certainly wasn't new—there were infected all over the neighborhood and they obviously knew there were two humans staying at the big white modern-themed home, plus Bubbles always got that 'something's watching me' feeling a few times in the past when they'd gone out—but something _did_ feel different about this particular time. Bubbles couldn't quite place it, but dread was sitting in the pit of her stomach. She wondered if maybe she should suggest they head back to the house until this sickly feeling passed but they were halfway to their destination. It wouldn't do any good to stop now and if they were able to make it to Boomer's house, at least it was a place to hide in case the infected were plotting something.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Boomer slipped his hand into hers. Butterflies replaced the creepy feeling even though a sliver of unease remained. She glanced up at him curiously and he smiled weakly.

"I feel it, too," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But don't worry, we'll be in and out before they can catch us."

"Right." They walked a little faster, taking care to be as quiet as possible so they could listen to their surroundings. At one point, much to Bubbles' amusement, Boomer swung their hands to and fro. The action made her smile and when she cast a glance towards her companion, he wiggled his eyebrows at her and she had to stifle a laugh.

He was so goofy, but she loved that about him.

The Jojo house was still in the sorry state it was since they'd last visited it. Boomer went in first to make sure no infected were nesting inside while Bubbles waited outside anxiously, clutching Big Bessie like a lifeline. When he gave the all-clear, she maneuvered past the broken door and handed her phone to Boomer, who hooked it up to a charger and plugged it into the outlet next to the sofa. Bubbles knelt next to it and was relieved to see her phone power back on after a moment, the battery-charging symbol popping up once a few minutes had passed. When it was finished restarting, she was about to swipe up and check the other text from Buttercup when a bone-chilling growl ripped through the silence.

Both blondes jumped and swiftly turned to find a group of infected grinning at them through the open windows. Some licked their lips in hungry anticipation, others were snarling, growling, even chortling in such a way that made Bubbles' blood run cold with fear and adrenaline. No matter the expressions, however, each and every one of them had their eyes locked onto Bubbles and Boomer.

Time seemed to freeze for that split second; neither party moved. The only thing that registered to Bubbles was the furious thumping of her heart against her ribcage, her frantic pulse seeming to drown out the awful sounds coming from the creatures currently staring them down. Her eyes were wide with a mix of fear and horror that the infected were _right here_ , that they were actually standing out in the daylight despite the clouds blocking the sun, that they'd finally caught the two humans they'd been so desperately searching for, even going as far as ripping up two entire houses to find them.

Boomer only had time to utter "oh fuck" before all hell broke loose.

* * *

 **Happy Halloween! ;)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed! And thank you to all readers for even checking out my story; it means a lot! :)**

 **Sorry for the wait; life got in the way but I'm hoping that since the semester is coming to a close, I'll have more time to dedicate to this story. Oh, and a s** **pecial thanks to my bud A.B. for always being supportive of this story on the sidelines. You know who you are ^_^ And to those who messaged me, thank you for reaching out!**

 **Hope everyone is doing well and I hope you guys enjoy the chapter; as always, let me know what you think!**

* * *

 **.: 17 :.**

 _Tick..._

 _Tock..._

 _Tick..._

 _Tock..._

It was _cold_. It was cold and the constant tick-tock of the kitchen clock was making her feel antsy.

Bubbles didn't realize it was possible to freeze in ninety-degree weather, yet here she was, huddled against the wall of some kind of mudroom, the cool cement floor beneath her doing no favors for her back. She hadn't moved in a long time, too terrified to even relax her tense body. Hours had passed; she'd watched the light slowly disappear from under the door, heard the grandfather clock in the living room chime with each hour. Time pressed on no matter what happened and the thought disturbed her.

Hours had passed and she still didn't know what became of Boomer. Another shiver ripped through her and she hugged herself tighter, her nerves both alive with fear and fried from the earlier adrenaline rush.

It all happened so quickly...

* * *

Bubbles wasn't sure how, but time slowed to a crawl before her very eyes.

The infected had leaped over the window sill and were in the middle of lunging towards her, however, it was as if they had been dunked underwater. Even though a couple of infected were mid-lunge, it looked like they were wading through an invisible ocean.

She blinked, the movement just as slow as the infected coming at her, and as soon as her eyes closed, the world around her changed.

Suddenly she was five again, riding bikes with Robin, Blossom, and Buttercup down the block. It was a summer evening, so the Professor was much more lenient with curfew, and tonight they'd be watching Buttercup, Mitch Mitchelson, and some other neighbor kids square off with each other in a game of soccer.

Then the scene switched and she was twelve, attending her first middle-school dance, back when she had no idea how to do makeup or put her hair up in anything besides pigtails. That was the night when she realized there was a big difference between being beautiful and being ugly, thus subjecting her self-esteem to a rollercoaster ride until the end of her teen years, when she realized that appearances didn't matter at all.

College. Pulling all-nighters with Robin at the campus library, working through long papers with Blossom, competing with Buttercup over who could bake more chocolate chip cookies within a day (Buttercup won, but Bubbles' cookies were actually edible). Professor Utonium's surprise and praise whenever Bubbles managed to make the Dean's list alongside Blossom. Her family, their constant encouragement, the good times, the bad...

It was only when Bubbles' eyes opened again that time resumed its normal pace, and just as an infected came _so close_ to tackling her to the floor, a firm hand grabbed her arm and tugged her out of harm's way.

"BUBBLES, _RUN_!"

Since meeting Boomer, she'd never heard him shout, never heard his voice become so thunderous and panicked. It took her a full second to remember that they were in danger, that her life had _literally flashed before her eyes_ , and that if they didn't get the hell out of there, she would become nothing but a memory.

Boomer, thankfully, had enough sense to realize she was in shock, and so he gripped her hand and sprinted out of the living room to the kitchen, Bubbles stumbling over her own two feet to keep up with him.

The infected began pouring into the living room, hot on their trail, and Boomer threw his weight into the screen door that led to his backyard. When he got outside, he grabbed hold of a long piece of fishing line that was connected to a trap Brick had set above the screen door. As the infected busted it down, Boomer yanked and a few torn-open bags of flour and pepper descended from the roof, momentarily blinding the infected and distracting them.

"HURRY!" He cried, and this time, Bubbles was able to follow him, her shock taking a backseat to adrenaline. They managed to hop the fence, Boomer giving Bubbles a boost when she needed it, and continued to head towards Professor Utonium's house.

However, they skidded to a halt when they saw a horde of infected was waiting for them there, stationed all around the yard, on the roof, and even in the street.

 _They were_ planning _this!_ Bubbles realized with a horrified shudder. _They knew we'd head back there, so they purposely cornered us at Boomer's house only to have others waiting here!_

Boomer recovered quickly, once more grasping her hand and leading them in another direction. The infected swiftly gave chase and Bubbles felt her lungs beginning to burn from sprinting so much. As they ran past garbage can after garbage can, she suddenly got an idea. She grabbed one and pulled it so that it fell into the infected horde's path, which successfully tripped a few of them and caused a temporary moment of confused chaos as they toppled over each other.

Bubbles knew she didn't have time to celebrate the small victory, but she allowed herself a triumphant little smile. Boomer tugged her to the left and down another street, both of them slowing when they came to a posh-looking yard, complete with a birdbath and some lawn ornaments here and there. The cottage looming before them had small windows and a sturdy-looking front door; it wasn't nearly as secure as Professor Utonium's underground lab, but it would have to do.

A few howls and screeches in the next street over told them all they needed to know about where the infected were and how quickly they'd be arriving at the front lawn. Boomer tried the doorknob and, to their relief, it was _open_ , and they rushed inside, closing the door and locking it behind themselves. There was a side table close by underneath one of the windows and Bubbles grabbed it, pushing it to barricade the door. Boomer caught on and managed to drag a heavy-looking chair to prop under the doorknob.

Wasting no time, they headed into the kitchen where there were three other doors: one, which was thin enough to guess it was simply a pantry, the second leading into some other kind of room, and the third leading out into the backyard. They tried the unknown door and found an old-fashioned mudroom without any windows; it also contained another door leading to the backyard, but the various types of locks that adorned it looked promising. The room was dark and not too crowded, yet not without a few forgotten pieces of furniture, but it was a perfect hiding spot, and at least they'd have a way outside if the infected found their way into the—

 _BANG!_

Bubbles and Boomer jumped at the sudden noise. Muffled snarls and more banging noises were coming from the living room, the infected already at the front door.

"Holy shit, those fuckers are _fast,_ " Boomer hissed, his heart hammering against his ribcage. "They won't stop till they get us, will they?"

"N-no, they won't, so we need to hide right now!" Bubbles whispered, tugging at his hand, but he wasn't looking at her.

Instead, Boomer's gaze was fixated towards the living room, where the infected were currently throwing their weight against the front door and banging their hands on the windows. Suddenly time slowed again and Bubbles could no longer hear the cacophony outside; everything felt like it was underwater, moving at a snail's pace. Her eyes were locked on Boomer, his handsome, boyish features twisted into a frown. When he turned his head to face her again, Bubbles didn't like the determined look in his eyes.

"I'll distract them and lead them away from you," he told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Everything still felt muddled, like time was allowing them this moment to speak undisturbed. "Stay put and don't make any noise; I'll come back for you when I can, okay?"

Her eyes widened. "W-what? Boomer, _no_!"

"Boomer _yes_." He winked, opening the door to the mudroom and gently pushing her inside. She stumbled over her own two feet, but by the time she regained her balance, Boomer had pulled the door shut. She grabbed the knob and tried turning it, but it was locked. He'd locked her in the mudroom.

" _Boomer_!"

Was he crazy?! What did he think this was going to accomplish? What if the infected got in and discovered her hiding there? What the hell was he _thinking_?!

"I'll be back soon," his voice was muffled through the thick wood. "I know it's early to say this, but I love you and I'll come back to you, I swear it."

She heard him dash towards the other kitchen door and open it, closing it and locking it behind himself. She heard the infected let out victorious whoops at the sight of Boomer heading outside.

"Hey, dipshits, catch me if you can!" he shouted, and all she could hear was the roar of the infected, the heavy thudding of their feet as they chased after him. Bubbles didn't even have the privilege of crying or freaking out; a few infected had lingered around the house, some sniffing around a bit too close to the mudroom door that led outside, but more noise from Boomer in the distance got their attention and soon they left her in complete silence.

That was hours ago. The light from underneath the door had long since faded to darkness, the _tick-tock-ticking_ of the kitchen clock slowly driving her mad. If it weren't for the occasional chimes of the grandfather clock upstairs, Bubbles would think _days_ had passed instead of hours.

Once the infected had left, a thick, heavy silence covering the neighborhood like fog, Bubbles had sank to the floor, pulling her knees close to her chest as she strained her ears to listen to the world outside her. At first, she'd trembled; terrified for Boomer, still in shock that the infected had been _so close to tearing her face off_ , and scared that she was now utterly alone.

So much had gone wrong today. Had they gotten careless? Was this somehow their fault that the infected had found them? If so, then how could they learn from this? There was no other way to get to Boomer's house than through the streets. Had they been foolish in trying to get Bubbles' phone hooked up to a charger, just to see the update Buttercup had sent her?

...No.

No, her sisters were the only connection they had to the outside world. Besides, she and Boomer were _alive_ ; shaken, probably going to develop symptoms of PTSD if they managed to survive past age twenty-five in this world, but they were still breathing and that counted for something.

Would this happen again? Okay, so the answer to that question was a solid _probably_ , but then what could they do to ensure it _didn't_ happen again?

What if Boomer never came back? What if he...

Bubbles bit her lip as tears threatened to spill onto her cheeks, but she angrily wiped at her eyes. She was so tired of crying, so tired of feeling helpless in this chaotic world. Boomer _would_ come back; he swore he would, and she trusted him. She was scared but she knew if she could count on anyone in this situation, it was him. He hadn't let her down yet and she had a feeling that he never would. There was no way Boomer would leave her for dead, he just wasn't that type of person.

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on her knees. He told her to stay put and that's what she would do. She'd wait as long as she could, but if he didn't show up... Well, she'd cross that bridge when she came to it, but for now, Boomer was _one-hundred percent_ coming back.

She just had to be patient.

Wait it out.

 _Tick..._

 _Tock..._

 _Tick..._

A few rapid knocks caused Bubbles to jump. She hadn't realized she'd been dozing until that moment, wondering how she had managed to fall asleep when danger could be close by. She held her breath and waited, fighting the urge to speak when the knocks came again.

"Bubbles?" At Boomer's voice, she heaved a sigh of relief. "Bubbles, it's _me_. I'm not bitten, I swear."

...That's exactly what someone who was bitten would say. She remained quiet, trying to figure out if it was actually Boomer out there... The infected seemed to possess the ability to plan, could they also speak or mimic voices? For all she knew, whoever was at the door could be an infected trying to trick her into going outside.

"H'okay, so I know we didn't exactly come up with, like, a secret password or anything, but..."

 _Knock knock knock knock-knock. Knock-knock._

Okay, so that was definitely Boomer, but the question still remained...

"You said you weren't bitten. H-how do I know you're not lying?"

"Because if I was bitten, I wouldn't have come back to you." Pause. "Actually, if I'm being honest, I probably would have let myself get killed if they bit me."

His words were like an arrow to her heart. _Please don't say something like that._

After another pause, "Please, Bubbles, I promise you, it's me. Open the door so we can get back to your dad's lab."

This could go one of two ways. One, Boomer could be telling the truth; there was a chance that he was actually okay, actually unbitten, and she'd have her best friend, her _boyfriend_ back with her, and she would _most definitely_ chew him out for leaving her all by herself, even if he did it to save her life.

Or two, Boomer could be lying. She didn't know how long it took for someone to become infected if they got bitten. This could be a trap and once she opened that door, Boomer would look just like the other infected: savage, hungry, like a predator that just found its prey all wrapped up with a nice little bow. What if this was him trying to lure her outside under the guise of being someone she cared about, only to rip her to pieces?

She shivered, though not because of the cold floor underneath her.

Then again, if he _was_ infected, would he really be able to talk and reason with her? None of the infected appeared to be capable of speech, at least not that Bubbles had seen.

All of this was so messed up. How had the world gotten so screwed up?

She shivered again.

"I'm scared," she admitted, and that much was true. The idea of an infected Boomer terrified her for lots of reasons.

"That's okay," he reassured her. "I am too, but if you don't let me in, I really _will_ get bitten. Please, Bubbles."

...What was the worst that could happen at this point?

Bubbles reached out a shaky hand to unlock the door, her fingers trembling as she turned the knob and pulled it open slightly. She wasn't sure what she expected to see, but the amount of relief she felt when her goofy best friend smiled and gave a half-wave was indescribable.

"Hi."

"Are you sure you aren't bitten?"

He held out his arms, turning them over. "Huh? Oh! No... No, I don't think so. I made sure none of those bastards got close enough to even scratch me. Come on, we have to hurry; they're smart, they'll figure out that what I put out was just a—"

A furious howl pierced the air, along with what sounded like firecrackers.

"—Decoy," Boomer finished. He held out a hand, eyes pleading.

"Please, Bubbles, we have to get out of here NOW or they'll kill us for sure. Do you trust me?"

"Yes." It wasn't even a question.

"Then follow me. Try to keep up and be as quiet as you can."

Bubbles placed her hand in his and they quickly stepped out into the cool night air. They dashed towards the direction of Bubbles' home, but quickly ducked behind some bushes when they realized there were quite a few infected stalking around the house. It astounded them that some of the infected actually looked... Human? Their eyes weren't quite a glowing red, but there was still clearly something wrong about their appearances. The moonlight made them look beautiful, like ethereal beings that didn't belong in this world. Nonetheless, they weren't acting as primal as the others they'd encountered. They were walking and looking around as if they were human, as if they were seeing the outside world for the first time or they were looking for something.

Or, specifically, for two blonde young adults that managed to slip away from them earlier.

A select few were still behaving as the infected usually did, though a majority were acting in this new human-like manner. Neither Bubbles nor Boomer knew what to think about this, but they knew it couldn't mean anything good for them.

Suddenly, all of the infected turned to look towards the left, their gaze trained on something down the street. Even the ones operating on primal instincts seemed to be looking that way, and the human-like infected allowed the primitive ones to sprint towards whatever had caught their attention before strolling after them.

Boomer and Bubbles exchanged a confused glance. What the heck was that all about?

Still, at least now they had a clear path to the house; however, the interior was another matter to consider.

"Hey," Boomer whispered, pulling Bubbles from her thoughts. "Stay put, I'm gonna go in first and make sure there's nothing waiting for us inside. If you see any infected enter, don't even worry about me; just run, okay?"

To Bubbles' credit, she remained quiet and only gave a nod. She had learned quickly within the past few hours that in dire situations like these, there was no time for arguing or protest. He crushed her against his chest, pressing a chaste kiss against her temple, and just when Bubbles was able to relax against him, he let go of her and stood up.

"I'll signal to you if it's safe. If it isn't, get out of here, alright?"

He walked away before she could respond. Bubbles bit her lip anxiously as she watched him step over the debris that was her front door. She held her breath as she waited, hoping and praying that Boomer would be alright. Their luck seemed to have run out this afternoon and the infected were much more clever than Bubbles could have ever imagined. What if something happened to him? How was she supposed to just leave him if—

 _No._

Fiery determination filled her veins and she swallowed the lump of frustration that had formed in her throat. No, Boomer would be fine. He was quick on his feet and sharp as a whip; he'd be okay, he'd get out of there alive if there was anything inside. It was okay for Bubbles to worry about him, but it was time she started having faith in him. How many times had he outsmarted those creatures before, way before they even met? Others might think he was dopey, but she knew better; Boomer could and would get himself out of danger if anything happened.

And she wouldn't just leave him if shit hit the fan, she'd try to fight, try to help him in any way she could. The infected certainly terrified her, but what terrified her more was potentially losing the one person she had in her life right now. Bubbles was small but she could be tough; a few little spats with Buttercup were proof of that.

To her immense relief, Boomer peeked out from around the door frame and gave a thumbs-up. Bubbles looked around to ensure the coast was clear before sprinting towards her house, wincing when a few bits of pavement crunched under her Converse. When she made it past the door frame, both blondes continued towards the basement door as swiftly as they could and Bubbles opened it, maneuvering herself inside first, Boomer right behind her. Once the door was shut and locked (as gently and quietly as they could manage), they made their way down the stairs and practically collapsed against their makeshift bed.

They lay there for a few minutes listening to the world upstairs. A few infected had obviously entered the Utonium house and were sniffing around, but they weren't destroying anything like they had during the previous nights. While this was behavior was new, both blondes were just happy to be safe downstairs. Boomer rubbed a hand over his face, exhausted from the day's events.

"I never should have quit track in high school," he sighed. "Holy shit. Today was _insane_."

Bubbles relished the soft blankets and pillows that were currently comforting her exhausted muscles. She had never been so happy to be home, that was for sure.

"We made it, though," she pointed out. "I knew I felt something funny when we were heading to your house... They must've been watching us, they must've planned it."

"I felt it, too," he commented. "But I thought... Well, let's just say I never thought they'd ambush us like they did."

"They're getting smarter."

Her companion let out a bitter chuckle. "They're definitely not as stupid as they look, that's for sure."

The next few minutes were spent in silence, both of them replaying the day's events in their minds. The wrenching dread they had felt in their guts, the ice-cold terror at seeing the infected literally _right outside the window_ , with those disgusting, leering smiles, eyes aglow with malice... Boomer had taken a huge risk when he'd led them away from Bubbles. Truth be told, there were a few moments where he came dangerously close to getting bitten.

And Bubbles... Sitting in that mudroom, not knowing whether or not Boomer would return in one piece, wondering if the infected would try to break into the house and get to her... Those few hours were agonizing. She was grateful that they'd gotten the infected off their tails, but she was slightly pissed at Boomer for just tossing her into the mudroom. She understood that he was trying to keep her safe, but still, what the fuck? What if there had been an infected hiding out in the mudroom? And even if not in the mudroom, what about the upstairs? That was a really dangerous, really shitty move on his part, and it could've cost Bubbles her life!

She wanted to call him out and vocalize her feelings, but one glance at Boomer, who looked so much older than twenty in that single moment, and her irritation subsided for the moment. Perhaps it would be better to have this kind of conversation later.

And then another thing occurred to her, something so important she was appalled she'd let it slip her mind.

"You said you loved me."

Boomer looked over at her.

"Huh?"

"Back when you locked me in the mudroom," she continued. "You said you loved me."

Realization lit up his features and he immediately began tripping over his own tongue.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cross any lines by saying that, it's just that I care about you, you know? And I thought we were going to die, I didn't even think I'd make it but I wanted to save your life at least, but I know we just started dating and it's early and—"

"I love you, too."

Her words silenced whatever he'd been about to say. He searched her face, wondering if she was being serious or if she, well, wasn't. When he'd dated other girls, 'I love you' was always casual, something to say even after dating for one week. However, with Bubbles... It was hard to explain. Boomer liked her a lot and he knew he wasn't quite in love _yet_ , but he was well on his way. Truth be told, saying 'I love you' to her was not quite an exaggeration when he already cared about her as much as he cared about his own family; only difference was the type of love he felt for her.

Was Bubbles only saying 'I love you, too' because it was the polite thing to say when someone expresses their own love first?

"You love me, too?"

"Well..." Bubbles shrugged, cheeks growing warm. "You're right, we did just start dating and it's very early to say something like that, but... These aren't normal circumstances. Look at what happened today: we could have died so many times. I'd rather tell you that I love you than to die regretting never saying anything to let you know I care about you."

She was still mad at him for the mudroom incident earlier, but that didn't mean her feelings had changed, though he _was_ gonna get one hell of an earful later on.

Boomer didn't reply. He merely leaned in and touched his forehead against hers, Bubbles nuzzling her nose against his affectionately. He felt warm and fuzzy inside because he knew she meant what she'd said. He didn't know how it was possible that he developed feelings for her in this crazy situation—strong feelings, at that—but he didn't regret it one bit. He never liked saying 'I love you,' not even to his family because it felt weird; instead, doing little things like helping Brick clean up around the house, letting Butch borrow money from him to get a new PS4 game he was stoked for, and helping his father cook dinner? That was how he let his family know that he loved them. Boomer was more about showing love than simply throwing words around.

But with Bubbles... Those words were more than just something to say. He was well on his way to being totally, completely in love with her, and saying those words felt comfortable to say even if they weren't quite accurate at the moment.

"Can I say it again?" he asked.

"Say what?"

"...You know." He didn't want to lose his nerve while he still had it.

Bubbles smiled, her cheeks growing warm with blush and her stomach doing a flip. "If you want to, sure."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I love you, Bubbles."

She pecked his nose. "I love you, too, Boomer."

Boomer closed the gap and kissed her. It was sweet and sensual and made Bubbles feel lightheaded in a good way. They broke apart after a minute and she scooted closer to him so that she was practically on his lap, to which Boomer let his hands rest on her hips. She let her arms rest around his neck as she tilted her head to deepen the kiss, nibbling on his bottom lip to tease him, and Boomer groaned softly, tightening his hold on her just slightly enough to let her know that she was driving him crazy.

Butterflies were doing somersaults in her belly and when she pulled away, she giggled at Boomer's half-lidded expression. However, the magic immediately faded when they heard noises upstairs indicating the infected were back and, yet again, snooping around for prey. It sobered them up quickly.

"We can't stay here," she murmured, hugging him. "We have to find somewhere safer."

"What about our families?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but quickly closed it again. Boomer was right; his brothers were still out there, weren't they? But... They should be back any day now, right?

Boomer seemed to be thinking the same thing. "I mean, I agree, I don't think it's safe to be in the neighborhood anymore, but... What if your sisters try to come here? And what about Brick and Butch?"

"I'm sorry... I guess I forgot about that." Bubbles bit her lip and moved off his lap to sit beside him. She felt like an ass for saying that when the last of Boomer's family was still out there, maybe even on their way back home. How messed up would it be if they left, only for Brick and Butch to return the very next day?

"We can figure it out tomorrow," Boomer assured, after a few beats of silence had passed. "I don't know about you, but I'm kind of shot after today."

"Me too. I think I'm still in shock; they were so close to killing me, they were right in front of me..."

The memory caused her to shudder and he pulled them down so that they were both laying on the pillows, her head resting on his chest. She nuzzled her face against his shirt and the action made him feel warm inside.

"I can't believe how close they got to me. It was like time stopped and I couldn't do anything..."

He ran his fingers through her hair in an attempt to help her relax. "That's why I grabbed you."

"I-I couldn't even _move_ , b-but..."

"You were in shock, baby, that's normal," he assured. "It's alright. They snuck up on us this time, but we won't let it happen again. We'll just have to be extra careful when we go out again."

Bubbles looked up at him and he cocked his head to the side.

"What?"

"You called me 'baby.'"

Boomer was about to point out that he hadn't, but then he realized his slip-of-tongue and blushed, grinning sheepishly.

"S-sorry, I'm kind of... It's just that..." He let out a tired sigh. "It's been a long day and I'm not thinking straight. Have I crossed any lines today? I feel like I'm crossing every line possible and I'm really sorry if I am."

"The only line you crossed was when we were cornered and you locked me in the mudroom." She frowned, her previous irritation bubbling to the surface. "You scared the shit out of me when you left. Do you have any idea how worried I was when it got dark out and you still hadn't come back?"

"Sorry about that, but it was a necessary evil."

"Even if you were trying to keep me safe, you _left_ me there. The infected could have broken in and killed me, there could have been one hiding in the mudroom for all we knew, and I would have died knowing you left me _alone_."

Her words cut through him like a knife. Not that Bubbles could see it in the darkness, but Boomer definitely felt his cheeks and ears grow hot with shame. "I'm sorry. I swear, I wasn't trying to abandon you; it was a bad situation and I was thinking that if I could somehow save one of us, I'd rather save you."

She sighed. Okay, so he wasn't _intentionally_ abandoning her, but still.

"Just please don't ever do that again."

"I won't. I promise." He hugged her a little tighter and she felt him kiss her forehead.

A loud crash sounded from upstairs. At this point, Bubbles wasn't even frightened; she was actually annoyed that the infected had found yet another of her family's possessions to break. When was enough _enough_?

"You were right in saying we can't stay here," Boomer pointed out. "They'll keep coming here every night and eventually they'll break down that door."

Bubbles didn't exactly like the idea of leaving her home, but she _did_ like the idea of living to see another day.

"Where could we go?" she asked. He continued running his fingers through her hair, which helped her relax to the point where her eyelids began to grow heavy.

"Maybe we could try one of the tunnels and head to another location?" Boomer suggested. "I mean, as far as I could tell, the infected are moving from the city into the neighborhood. If we go to anymore houses, we'll probably catch a few infected hiding inside, that's how many are here. When I was trying to get them off my trail, I noticed that a lot of houses looked like they were being occupied, so we gotta be careful."

"But..." She was getting sleepy, her nerves shot from today's chaos as well as the soothing feel of Boomer playing with her hair. "What if it's worse out there?"

"We survived today; I think we can handle whatever else those freaks throw at us."

"They were acting strangely, though."

"True, but we're smarter than they are, no matter what's going on with them. They'll never catch us off-guard again like they did today, we'll make sure of it."

"What about your brothers?"

"I'll leave a note or something at the house so that if they get back, they'll know we had to move shop."

She hummed in response, drifting further into unconsciousness until finally, she was asleep. Boomer knew she'd dozed off when he felt her breathing even out. He let out a sigh and continued to stroke her hair, enjoying the way the silky strands felt between his fingers.

He'd come so close to getting bitten today. He wasn't sure what he'd been thinking, taking off to lead the infected away from Bubbles. Of course, he didn't regret it at all; not only did his plan work—he'd gotten them away from her and managed to distract them long enough for him and his pretty companion to return to Professor Utonium's house, where all their supplies were—but he'd picked up a small radio while hiding in one of the houses. Although he'd had to sacrifice it to get the infected off his tail (and the firecrackers were a huge bonus), he'd switched it on just for kicks and heard actual music through the thick static.

Music. Classical music, at that. Which meant that one, if not _some_ of the cell towers were working.

...Which meant that maybe humanity was gaining the upper hand. If they had control of one of the towers, maybe there was a community attached to it, one with food, water, shelter, _protection_. It was worth checking out, right? Everything would be better for them if they found other people... Of course, Boomer was well aware that this type of situation—a zombie apocalypse situation—didn't exactly bring out the best in folks. They would have to be extremely careful about who they decided to trust.

He'd wanted to tell Bubbles about this little discovery and ask if she was interested in looking into it, but the poor girl was so exhausted and fried from today's close call that maybe it was better if he ran the idea by her tomorrow instead, after she was able to get some rest. Truth be told, as soon as they'd reached the lab again, he'd forgotten about the radio in favor of finally letting himself rest. His whole body was sore from constantly sprinting with barely any resting time in-between; he really did wish he'd never quit track, otherwise he might be in better condition to run long distances.

Soon enough, Boomer began to doze off as well, dreams of a better world without monsters dancing through his mind.

* * *

"So you heard classical music?"

It was five in the morning and they were wide awake. Boomer had just finished devouring two granola bars while Bubbles polished off a can of peach slices. It wasn't exactly a perfect breakfast but it was enough, and they were grateful that they even had food after yesterday. If they hadn't been able to come back to the lab, they would have had to scavenge; who knows how badly _that_ might have gone?

Boomer nodded enthusiastically. "It looked like a cheap little thing so there was lots of static, but... _Music_ , Bubbles! I didn't think I'd ever hear music again."

"And you said you think there might be people out there?"

He nodded again. "Where there's music, there's gotta be people."

She worried her bottom lip thoughtfully. "I'm not trying to be negative when I say this but usually, in a zombie apocalypse, a settlement of people means trouble."

"Oh yeah, I know; sometimes they're secretly cannibals."

Bubbles shuddered. "Or they're totalitarian."

"Or they'd take all our stuff and leave us for dead. Not that we have anything of value except food, but we'd be screwed if we lost what little we actually have."

"Do you really think it's a good idea? Going to check it out, I mean... You only heard music; what if that's a sign that they don't want to be bothered, whoever they are? If they wanted to attract survivors, wouldn't they put out a broadcast with their coordinates inviting people to drop by?"

Boomer paused. "Oh... I didn't think about that."

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I guess I just got excited that I was hearing music for once instead of deafening silence. Music is one of humanity's greatest accomplishments, y'know? I doubt those infected boneheads would be able to come up with anything as extraordinary as music."

Bubbles hummed in agreement.

"Thing is... Eventually we're gonna have to leave, which sucks because honestly I really like your house, but with those things prowling around outside, it's only a matter of time before they..." He sighed. "You get what I'm saying."

She took a small sip from her water bottle and nodded. "It might be a good idea to leave today."

"Today?" When she nodded again, Boomer grew serious. "Alright. We're gonna need to pack only what we can carry. I don't know where we can go that the infected won't find us, but if you want, _actually_..."

His expression grew thoughtful. Bubbles, yet again, didn't like how determination flickered in his eyes. Usually when he got that look in his eyes, he was up to no good... Though usually that 'no good' saved their skins, so she couldn't complain too much.

"Boomer, what are you thinking?" she asked slowly.

"I'm thinking that maybe it might be a good idea to scout ahead, see if there's a house we could stay in. One of us could stay here, hold the fort down, while the other searches for a potential new place for us to take refuge in."

She didn't like the idea of being left alone again and she had a feeling that Boomer was hinting he'd be the one to go scouting. "Um... Wouldn't it be better if we both went to find a new house?"

"Well yeah, but it's less of a risk if I go by myself." When she raised an eyebrow, he held up his hands in the universal 'whoa nelly' gesture. "Look, nothing personal, but I'm a little bit faster than you."

"Oh _hell_ no." Now _that_ caught Boomer off-guard. His eyes widened slightly at Bubbles' sharp tone. "Boomer, if anyone's gonna scout ahead, let _me_ do it."

"Why?"

Bubbles didn't know exactly why, but she _did_ know she hated the idea of him thinking she was a weak little damsel that couldn't handle going off on her own. While she was always considered the soft-hearted one out of her sisters, she could hold her own against anything, let alone the infected.

...Okay, so they _totally_ freaked her out and she was terrified of getting bitten, but if she needed to protect herself, she would do her damnedest to stay alive. It's just that... When she first discovered that the world had changed, she'd thought her family was dead. That was enough to rattle anyone, let alone petite, sweet Bubbles. The infected were unnatural and horrific in nature, and yes, she'd gone into shock when they got ambushed earlier, but she wasn't weak for being afraid of them.

And apparently that's how Boomer saw her, whether he had feelings for her or not. It kind of stung.

"Because I know Townsville like the back of my hand. Give me a little credit; before I met you, I managed to find my own food and I survived a few nights by myself upstairs, not down here in the security of the lab. I may scare easily and I may seem weak, but if I need to kick some ass, you better believe I will."

The fire in her eyes made Boomer feel a little woozy. So Bubbles Utonium was not without sass; that was kind of hot, if he was being honest. Nevertheless, he understood what she was saying and he honestly hadn't meant to piss her off.

"I'm sorry," he admitted. "I didn't mean to insinuate anything when I said I was faster than you. Believe me, the last thing I'd ever wanna do is offend you, it's just that... I'd rather get myself hurt than have anything happen to you. I care about you a lot, you know? I mean... I said I _love_ you, and trust me, I never use those words lightly."

Bubbles simmered down slightly at that. "It's okay. It's just that my sister Buttercup always used to tease me when I was younger, and... I don't wanna seem like this weak little doll who can't do anything for herself."

"You're the furthest thing from weak, Bubbles. You don't have to prove yourself to anyone, let alone me." He chuckled. "You're one of the strongest people I've ever met; I just don't want anything to happen to you, especially since my brothers have been gone for a while now, and I don't know if..."

He bit his lip and Bubbles nodded, immediately understanding.

He didn't know if Brick and Butch _were_ coming back.

"Speaking of which," she decided it was time to change the subject. " _When_ they come back, what do you think we should do to let them know where we are?"

She didn't know just how grateful he was that she said 'when' they come back instead of 'if.' Boomer had been trying to remain optimistic, but with how clever the infected seemed to be getting... Brick was a genius and Butch was a force to be reckoned with, but there was a chance that even _they_ might not make it, and even Boomer was starting to come to terms with that.

"I could leave a note," he suggested, remembering what he'd said before they'd fallen asleep. "But now that I think about it... That's not really reliable because what if we find a place to stay, but then we have to move again? They'll have an address that leads them nowhere."

That was a valid point. Bubbles sighed.

"I'd say we could try using walkie-talkies, but we don't have any and I think there's a limit on how far you can go before you can't really hear each other anymore."

"True." Boomer laid back against the pillows and let his arm fall across his eyes. "Why do the infected have to be such asshats? Why can't they just be slow and stupid?"

"Because that would make life easier," Bubbles joked. She tried to think; what exactly could they do to let Boomer's brothers know where they were? It was a shame that they couldn't use cell phones to keep in contact with—

"Wait." At her tone, Boomer moved his arm to look at her. "You said you heard music on the radio, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Maybe cell reception is working again."

"I'm not so sure about that. Besides, we were having problems with reception before; even if the towers are back up and running, who's to say that cell reception would be any great?"

"That's true, but what if we somehow managed to get my cell phone back from your house and left Brick and Butch a note with my number? That way if we do have to move and they text us or call us, we can let them know what the game-plan is."

Boomer seemed to mull that over. "Not a bad idea, but again, what about electricity? Eventually your phone will die again and we won't have any way to charge it, and then they won't be able to contact us even if... Er, _when_ they get back."

 _Damn it_... _He's right._

She laid down next to him and sighed. "Well.. I'm all out of ideas, then."

"To be fair, that was actually a pretty good idea and I'm definitely considering it." That surprised Bubbles. "It's better than nothing and who knows? Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll return before your phone dies again. Speaking of which, would it be okay with you if I was the one who went to retrieve your phone?"

At her queer expression, he held up his hands in mock-surrender. "I'm not trying to be an ass, I'm just trying to give you the option. If you want to make the journey yourself, I won't stop you, but I do think it would be better to have someone stay here just in case, even if that 'someone' is me. It's up to you, though."

Bubbles blushed with slight embarrassment. "You can do whatever you want, Boomer, I just got upset before because I don't want you to think I can't do anything for myself. I'm scared of the infected, but just because I'm scared doesn't mean I'm helpless. I can pull my own weight too."

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Don't worry, I understand, and you've definitely been pulling your weight, so please don't think otherwise; if it wasn't for you, I would still be at my house and I'd probably be dead, since this lab is the one thing that's been keeping us safe. I just wanted to ask because you kind of had a point earlier... I was trying to keep you safe by locking you in the mudroom, but that was also a dick move on my part. Not only was that probably terrifying, sitting there by yourself not knowing whether I was dead or alive, but it put you at risk, too, considering the infected probably sniffed around the house after I led the other ones away. Plus you probably thought I left you for dead, and I would never do that, but I can see why you might think that. And honestly... I'm really sorry, Bubbles, I never meant to hurt you or put you in harm's way."

Out of all the guys Bubbles had ever dated, she had never heard a more sincere apology than she did in that moment from Boomer Jojo.

"We were in a tight spot and you were just trying to keep us both safe, even though _you_ were putting yourself in harm's way." She poked his cheek and he smiled. "The truth is that you _are_ faster than me and you were able to think on your feet even though the infected were hot on our heels. All I did was freeze up."

"That was a natural reaction, though. I think I'd probably shit enough bricks to build myself a small cottage if I had been in your shoes."

Bubbles burst into laughter. "Oh my gosh, did you really just say that?"

Boomer laughed as well. "You've never heard that expression?"

She could only shake her head as she continued to giggle. When they'd both calmed down to soft chuckling, Bubbles wiped a stray tear from her eye.

"I needed that laugh."

"Me too." Boomer wiped at his own eyes. "For what it's worth, though, I _am_ sorry about yesterday."

"Just please don't toss me into a dark room again," Bubbles half-joked. "If anything, take me with you. That way we can at least fight side-by-side if we get cornered."

"If we ever get split up for whatever reason, I promise that I will always do whatever it takes to come back to you," Boomer added. "So if we have a repeat of today, which I'm hoping we won't, but if we _do_ , then I promise, I will always come back to you. Unless I'm bitten, of course."

"I promise, too. If we ever get split up, I'll try to find my way back to you and I'll help in any way I can."

They kissed on it.

"So what are we going to do about getting your phone?"

Bubbles glanced towards their food inventory. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to have one of them run to Boomer's house while the other stayed here.

"You _are_ faster than I am," she admitted. "If you're up for it, you could run and grab it. I could stay behind and get everything packed up; that way if the infected follow you, we're already good to go. And actually, here..."

She reached over to grab Buttercup's bat, handing it to him. She knew he'd brought his own baseball bat, but Buttercup's was the one she could reach. "Take this with you so you at least have something to defend yourself with."

Boomer nodded. "Alright, I will. Let's do this."

* * *

The bright morning sun had never looked so beautiful.

Bubbles bit her lip as she took a step outside into her front yard. She made her way towards the sidewalk before turning around to take one last look at her childhood home, a place filled with so many memories, once cozy and safe.

Boomer had left earlier that morning to make the run to his house. After finding one of her father's post-it notes, she'd scribbled down her number and let Boomer write his own note to his brothers. Although he was taking a little longer than expected, Bubbles knew that his neighborhood was probably crawling with infected and he could be hiding, waiting for them to move along so he could continue his journey back to the lab. Truthfully, it was dangerous for Bubbles to even be standing out here, but she'd wanted one last glimpse of her home, to burn it into her memory one final time so that she would remember it forever.

The house was in utter disrepair, but in her mind's eye, it was still perfectly preserved, not a single scratch on it. She could practically envision Buttercup racing through the house, running late for class; Blossom cooking pancakes for everyone; the Professor sipping his coffee while reading the daily newspaper; and Bubbles herself would be upstairs, humming to herself as she did her makeup.

One blink and reality wiped her rose-colored memories away, revealing once more that the house in front of her was no longer what it used to be.

But... Wasn't it just that: a house? No matter where she went, the memories would still be with her. One day Bubbles would reunite with her family and the location wouldn't matter one bit: all that mattered was that they were together again, safe and happy and healthy. The same would happen for Boomer; his brothers would return and they'd all reunite, it would all be okay and all this worrying, all this fear would be something to laugh at once it was all said and done.

...Well, that's what Bubbles liked to hope for, anyway.

She eyed her home one final time before going back inside, making her way down the narrow staircase to her father's lab. The strong smell of chemicals and disinfectant used to make her wrinkle her nose, but now she was used to it. It reminded her that she and Boomer were safe, that nothing could get to them in this little room. It was a shame they had to leave, but it had more than served its purpose, and who knows? Maybe they might return one day, make use of it again if the world above proved too dangerous.

Footsteps upstairs caused her attention to shift to the ceiling. Boomer knocked his usual tune and Bubbles moved to unlock the door, allowing him in before redoing the locks. He held up her cell phone with a brilliant smile on his face.

"Look what I got~!"

His cheerfulness was contagious because she grinned as well. "No infected?"

"Honestly? None. I expected them to be waiting there, but they weren't. I felt like I was being watched, so I moved as fast as I could, left the note on the couch so Brick and Butch see it as soon as they enter the house. I don't know if the infected followed me or not, but it doesn't matter. We're leaving anyway."

She hugged him. "I'm just glad you're safe. Come on, I've got all our stuff packed."

They descended the stairs and Boomer handed her the phone before heading over to his backpack. She immediately clicked it on and went into her inbox, checking for the last message Buttercup had sent.

...Or at least, she tried to. Unfortunately, at that moment, her phone decided to start updating itself without any prompting whatsoever. She groaned.

 _Figures_.

"Everything okay?" Boomer asked, hoisting his backpack onto his shoulders.

"Phone's updating. It's my luck that the moment I get to check my sister's last text and my phone pulls this bullshit."

He nodded sympathetically. "Mine used to do that all the time, too. Just give it a little bit, reception down here is probably crappy anyway; we're underground, after all, and once we get above ground, you should get a better signal. Might even update faster once we get out of here."

"Here's hoping." She deposited her phone into her own backpack. It was probably better to check it later anyway; if Buttercup sent something alarming, it wouldn't be a good idea to read it now when she needed to be focused on the journey ahead of them. A distraction would and could prove to be fatal.

"Alright. Do we have everything?" Boomer asked, turning to face her.

"First aid, food, water... I think that about covers it," she replied. "Oh, and I did grab my charger just in case. If you're right, if the cell towers are working again, then maybe electric will come back on soon."

"Good thinking." After a moment, he added, "Was there anything else you wanted to take with you? Y'know... A memento or something? I don't think we'll be coming back here for a while, if ever again, so if you wanted to grab something, now's the time."

She'd already thought to do that while he was gone.

"It doesn't weigh much," she began. "But I _did_ grab one of my photo albums. I think... I think that should be enough."

Boomer took her hand and intertwined their fingers together. Bubbles turned and offered him a weak smile, appreciating his attempt at comfort.

"I'll be fine. Are you ready?"

He nodded. Bubbles hoisted her own backpack over one shoulder and let out a huff at its weight. She was used to carrying lots of textbooks for class, but canned foods and water bottles? Now _that_ was a new challenge altogether, though it was definitely a challenge she was up for.

She stepped forward and unlocked the door that led to the tunnels. The endless hall that stretched before them was intimidating, to say the least; Professor Utonium's lab was pitch dark but the tunnels were somehow darker.

"Think there's anything hiding in these things?" Boomer whispered, giving her hand a nervous squeeze. She squeezed back.

"If there is, I'm gonna be hitting more than a home-run," Bubbles promised, half-joking but also completely serious. Yesterday had been a wake-up call for her. While she was still scared of the infected and she wasn't the violent type, she would not hesitate to kick some ass if the situation called for it.

He stifled a chuckle at her response. He knew she was serious and he hoped he'd never be at the receiving end of a furious, baseball bat-wielding Bubbles, but he also found her badass side adorable. Brick had been correct in deciding that Bubbles, though sweet, would be the type to defend those she cared about if push came to shove.

Taking a deep breath, they stepped in together, ready to face whatever came down the line.


	18. Chapter 18

**To crashdownbabe: Actually, believe it or not, I've never actually watched PPGZ, though I know *of* it. I've seen fanart but it's not really my cup of tea, tbh. But nah, when I write Boomer's house, I kind of have a general modern-type of house in mind, nothing specific, if that makes sense? Idk lol but any of my readers are free to imagine both houses however they want. Thank you for your reviews!**

 **To Animalcrunch12: thank you so much for reviewing! I'm honored you think so highly of my story and I hope you continue to enjoy! :D**

 **To those of you who have reviewed, favorited, or followed this story, a huge thank you to you! Seriously; you really don't know how much it means that you guys not only gave this story a chance but you're still following Bubbles and Boomer's journey. And it's gonna be one heck of a journey lol.**

 **Guys, I am SO sorry for the huge wait. I had so much to do at the end of last semester it wasn't even funny, then I hit writer's block. This chapter gave me so much trouble, but thanks to a few friends (you know who you are!) this chapter was able to get finished up. I didn't wanna leave you guys hanging; I know it's been months since my last post (I think?). No idea when I'll be able to get the next chapter ready, but I'll be working on it, promise!**

 **Hope everyone is well and had a wonderful holiday season! God bless!**

* * *

 **.: 18 :.**

As they walked, Bubbles couldn't help but think about how much progress she'd made. She used to be afraid of the darkness, but now, she shone her flashlight around confidently, silently daring whatever could be hiding in the shadows to come out. Of course, a part of her was still fearful that an infected had somehow found its way down here—was it even possible to wound them, let alone kill them?—but so far, the tunnels were completely empty, which was an excellent sign. Bubbles wasn't sure what she'd been expecting, but she'd learned that if you expected the worst, you could only be pleasantly surprised.

There were no other sounds except for their footsteps and the occasional dripping of water somewhere. They must have walked for at least two miles before they came to a point where the tunnels branched off into three directions.

"Which one is which?" Boomer asked.

She shone her flashlight down the left tunnel, trying to remember herself which tunnel led to where.

"If I'm not mistaken, this one leads us away from both Townsville and Citysville," she replied. "What do you think? Should we try this one, or should we try one of the others? The middle leads to the heart of Townsville and the right is more towards Citysville."

Getting away from both city areas was a no-brainer, but she wanted to give Boomer a chance to give his own opinion. They were a team and it wouldn't be right if Bubbles was the only one calling the shots.

"The left one is perfect," Boomer reassured her. "I don't think it'd be a good idea to wind up in Townsville, especially not with what happened at City Hall."

Bubbles shuddered. The sight of all those mutilated corpses, the bloodbath... That was a memory she'd rather forget.

He chewed his bottom lip anxiously before adding, "And I really don't think it would do us any good to be near Citysville, where all this bullshit started."

"All right, left tunnel it is."

They continued down the left tunnel, keeping an ear out for any strange noises or extra footsteps, but luck was on their side and they didn't encounter anything dangerous. After walking for what felt like hours, they came to the end where a ladder sat against the wall, leading up to some sort of metal trapdoor.

"This is probably a stupid question," Boomer began. "But did you guys ever worry about these things getting flooded? You know, when rainy season rolls around?"

"Nah." Bubbles set her backpack down and handed Boomer her flashlight. He trained the light on the ladder as she began climbing it, holding it so that she could see each rung. "When my dad had these things reinforced, he discovered the exits are usually in structures well-hidden from the public eye."

"How is that possible? Wouldn't people see these structures and think there's something funny about them?"

When she got to the top, she felt around for a latch. When Buttercup discovered the door that led to these underground tunnels, the Professor sat all three of them down and explained everything he knew about these underground passages, from where they led to what exactly they opened up to. Each tunnel was sealed off by a sort of airtight trapdoor; she just had to find the latch. She mentally patted herself on the back for remembering the Professor's lecture; who knew one day she'd actually have to use the tunnels?

"You ever see those tiny little dog houses that are not quite dog houses? The ones that have, like, a little cross on top with tiny windows and a door-shaped opening with no door? They're kinda just sitting there in a field or away from an abandoned house?"

Boomer scratched the back of his head, trying to remember if he'd seen such a thing. "I think so."

"From what I understand, that's where the exits are located, although the actual structures are supposed to be a little bigger than doghouses. No cross on the top, either; they're more like shacks, I think, but I've never actually seen what they look like. Professor's only ever described them, so I could be completely wrong."

Bubbles' fingers brushed the latch and she fiddled with it before it opened. She pushed it upward slightly, allowing a sliver of sunlight to enter the tunnel. The rush of warm summer air was refreshing after breathing in the damper, cooler air of the underground tunnels. Although Professor Utonium had added reinforcements to them to keep them from caving in, the thick smell of dirt and moss was so pungent that Bubbles wondered if there was mold growing somewhere.

Nevertheless, she peeked from under the trapdoor, letting her gaze sweep around the area. Sure enough, the tunnel had opened up to one of the tiny, open shack-like structures and she was pleased to hear a chorus of nature echoing around the little building. Wherever this was, they were in the middle of a thick wooded area.

Bubbles lowered the trapdoor again and Boomer immediately asked, "Is it safe?"

"I think so. I don't see any signs of infected and we're literally in the middle of nowhere. It looks like we're far from civilization."

"Lemme see."

She descended the ladder and allowed Boomer to take a look for himself. When he came back down, he seemed slightly uneasy.

"Umm... Quick question: have you ever seen any of those things climb trees?" he asked.

When she shook her head 'no,' Boomer pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I haven't either, but this seems a little _too_ good to be true. What if they're hiding in the trees or something?"

Her heart sank. He had a valid point.

"What do you think we should do? Should we turn back, take another tunnel?"

"No." Boomer sighed. "No, we've come this far, so we might as well check it out. Maybe we'll get lucky and they're, like, allergic to pollen or something so they're not in the woods."

Bubbles cracked a smile. "Alright. I'll go first; you got your bat ready, just in case?"

"You know I do. You sure you don't want me to go first?"

"Have you ever seen me wield a baseball bat?"

Boomer thought back to when he'd first met Bubbles in that little corner store in the heart of Townsville. He gave a curt nod.

"Touché. Lead the way, milady."

Bubbles climbed up the ladder again. It was difficult to crawl out of the slim opening with her heavy backpack in tow, but she managed to squeeze through; once she'd pushed herself to her feet and dusted the dirt off her knees, Boomer emerged from the tunnel as well. She offered him a hand and he took it with a murmured 'thanks,' coming to stand next to her.

"Where are we?" he asked.

Bubbles looked around and was immediately filled with relief when she caught sight of a few Townsville skyscrapers in the distance. She had no idea where this tunnel had led them to, but at least they had put a lot of distance between themselves and the city.

"We're far from Townsville," she replied. "I don't know specifically where, but I know we're a long way from my house."

"Is that a good thing or bad thing?" Boomer didn't seem to know what to think about that.

She offered him a weak smile. "I guess we'll find out."

They crept out of the small shack. The woods, although thick, were filled with the sweet sound of various birds chirping. Occasionally a locust would chime into the harmony, letting the blondes know that a heatwave was on its way. To hear nature so lively and excited was a million times better than the blanket of silence that remained over Townsville.

Well... Townsville was _mostly_ silent, anyway. The only other sounds were those of the infected hunting down prey or destroying something, two things they were unfortunately good at. Sometimes they might hear a few birds singing, but it never lasted for long; even animals knew better than to make noise and potentially expose themselves to infected that could be lurking around.

They walked for what felt like hours and the darkening sky seemed to confirm that they'd been travelling for quite some time. Bubbles didn't know what to expect come nightfall, but she knew it wouldn't be good if they didn't find a place to stay soon. Camping was fine, but having four walls around them would keep them safe from the elements and infected alike. It would also take time to build a fire, and there was always the possibility of a campfire creating enough light or sound to draw unwanted attention to them.

To her relief, they eventually came to a series of cabin buildings, which she assumed was a campground. A few cabins were small while others appeared luxurious, clearly for families wiling to shell out some extra cash during their stay. A couple of other buildings were stationed close by: a shower building, one for laundry, another for entertainment (probably with pool tables, arcade games, maybe even a bar), a recreational area complete with a basketball court, and a huge L-shaped cafeteria sat just off next to the huge lake.

In front of them stood a small office building (if the sign that read 'CHECK-IN & MANAGEMENT' was anything to go by), which was more like a tiny house, with a front porch decked out with wicker furniture that was in surprisingly decent shape. The front door had a large piece of stained glass in the shape of a flower, its various colors popping against the woody exterior. The flower beds beneath the windows were thriving, full of yellow and orange wildflowers that made it look homey rather than a place where visitors could check in and lighten their wallets.

With how thick these woods were, there was a high chance that there were no people around, i.e. a slim chance of the infected sticking around, but then again, it was summer; perhaps some campers were still hiding out in the buildings, some infected, some human.

Boomer looked at Bubbles.

"Suspicious," he whispered. She nodded; he'd basically voiced her thoughts. They were taking a really big chance if they decided to stay here for the night. Who knew what was in the other buildings? Did they really want to go up against a number of infected in the woods, where they had no idea where they were going? And what if some of the infected were kids? Bubbles really didn't want to have to wield her bat against some poor little kid who just happened to contract whatever illness had turned the people of Townsville into monsters.

But... They wouldn't really have a choice. It was either this or continue wandering around in the woods, and they would be taking a huge risk walking around in dark woods where they wouldn't be able to see two feet in front of them. Bubbles didn't want to have to hurt anyone if she could help it, but she and Boomer could really use a place to spend the night, and if that meant forever silencing a few infected, then they'd have to cross that bridge when they got to it.

"What should we do?" Bubbles asked. Boomer eyed the office-like building for a moment before shrugging.

"We should check it out, see if anything is inside."

"What do we do if there's people in those buildings?"

"You mean infected?"

"Well, no, we know what we have to do if we find infected." She gripped her bat a little tighter, hating how cold her words sounded; in actuality, she felt nervous. "I-I mean actual survivors. If there are other human beings in there, how do we handle that?"

Boomer shrugged again. "We could always try to reason with them, ask to spend the night. If they're hostile, we leave."

"And if they follow us?"

A determined gleam flashed in his eyes. "If they follow us, we make sure they understand that we're not the type of people they should fuck with."

 _Fair enough._

Wordlessly, Bubbles approached the front door of the camp counselor's office and knocked on it, subconsciously holding her breath as she waited for some kind of indication that someone was on the other side. After quite a few heartbeats and straining her ears to listen, she knocked again; still no answer. Finally, Bubbles tried the doorknob but it was locked. She grabbed a bobby pin from her hair and messed with the lock before it clicked, and she pushed the door open to reveal a rustic-themed office complete with a few framed pictures of the camp along the walls. There were two doors on the back wall: one leading into a bathroom, the other leading into a small bedroom with a metal-frame bed, a nightstand, a bookshelf filled with tomes containing information about roughing it outdoors, and an open, empty closet.

"Think there's infected inside?" she asked. The sun was setting faster than she would have liked and if this was going to be their makeshift housing for the night, now was the time to ensure it was safe before darkness cloaked the world once more.

"Nah. They would've heard you knocking and come to open the door if that was the case. It's not good business to leave your customers hanging."

Bubbles shot him a look and he offered a goofy grin in reply.

"Just kidding. In all seriousness, if there was anything or anyone inside, at the very least, they would've come to investigate the knocking sounds. We should still look around, though; make sure nothing's hiding."

She heaved a sigh, trying to keep her nerves in check. "Right. Okay."

Bubbles stepped inside and stifled a cough at how dusty it was. Boomer was right behind her, pausing only to get a better look at their new surroundings.

They split up, Bubbles agreeing to take the cheaper cabins while Boomer covered the more expensive-looking ones. For the most part, nothing was out of place or showed any signs of forced entry, a struggle, nothing. While the rest of the world was busy contending with infected, this particular place seemed to be completely safe, hidden away from the dangers in Townsville and Citysville. Each and every cabin was empty save for the typical wooden cots, bunk beds, and small sets of tables and chairs, maybe even the occasional bookshelf.

Closest to the cafeteria building were a pair of docks that led out into a huge lake. The water was mostly clear—an amazing feat in and of itself—and looked incredibly tempting what with the hot afternoon sun baking down on them all day. There weren't too many supplies other than first-aid kits in the main office, but the fact that they would have a roof over their heads plus a lake to cool down in was more than they could ask for.

When they met up again after clearing most of the buildings, they headed into the office building and began to settle in for the night.

Boomer plopped down onto the bed, the springs squeaking in protest from the sudden weight.

"This place is pretty incredible," he remarked. "I think we've actually got a shot at surviving here."

Bubbles hummed in agreement, happy to just sit down next to him and rest after walking for literally hours.

"Hey, did you and your family know this place was here?" Boomer continued. "I looked at some pamphlets in the office and it seems like a pretty popular place to spend the summer."

"I didn't even know this place existed till we found it," Bubbles admitted, clearing her throat. The dust in this place was irritating her lungs, and now really wasn't the time for her asthma to act up. "I think you're right, though, I think this place is cut off from all the craziness out there. We should be safe here for the night, if not longer."

While Boomer changed into dry clothes (both of them were drenched in sweat from the heat), Bubbles placed her family photo album on the nightstand. Her fingers hovered over the embroidered lettering that spelled out 'family,' her gaze lingering over the cover photo of her father and sisters from a few summers ago. She missed them so much, and actually, now that she had time... She set her backpack down on the floor and rifled through it for her phone. It was still updating, much to her dismay, and she was frustrated to find they had crappy reception here. Even if her phone finished updating, there was a chance it would still act up and she wouldn't be able to keep in touch with her family.

At that thought, Bubbles' stomach dropped.

Her family... They'd left a note for Boomer's brothers, but they hadn't left any sort of note for her own family. What if they showed up at the house?

She swore under her breath. Maybe she could always... No, no that would be suicide. Going back to her house wouldn't be safe, especially since it would be very easy to get lost in these woods let alone make the trek through the tunnels again. It was a miracle they'd found this camp without issue, and it was even more of a blessing that the campgrounds were completely vacant considering most families would have reserved a cabin for vacation by the time the infection hit.

"What's wrong?" Boomer asked, once he'd finished changing. "Did you finally get your sister's text? Is she okay?"

"No, it's not that," she replied. "My phone's still updating anyway, so I don't think I'll be able to check it for a while. I just realized that we never left a note for my own family if they get to the house."

"Nah, girl, I got you covered." He grinned. "I left a note at my place and there's one at the kitchen table back at your house. Both have your number on it, just in case."

Relief flooded her and she hugged him. "You're a lifesaver!"

He kissed her temple and they remained like that for a few minutes, just holding each other. When Bubbles finally pulled away, Boomer stood up and stretched, his joints popping audibly.

"You know, I was thinking of exploring the perimeter a little bit, make sure there's nothing that might sneak up on us in the middle of the night. Do you wanna come with me, or do you wanna kick back for a bit?"

Bubbles smiled. "I'll come with you. Better for us to stick together than to go off alone, honestly."

"Baby, this is why you're the brains of our team."

She laughed. "Yet I forgot to leave a note for my family."

Boomer reached over to ruffle her hair. "Can't be perfect all the time. Besides, that's why you've got me; I've got your back."

As they grabbed flashlights from their backpacks, Bubbles glanced at her phone where she'd placed it on the bed. She wondered what kind of text message awaited her when her phone was accessible again. Was it an update on where they were? Had something happened to one of them, to her father who was injured? Or was the message positive—was humanity finally gaining the upper hand on the infected? Maybe a cure had been invented and all of this would soon be only a bad memory.

* * *

After checking the perimeter of the camp, Bubbles and Boomer were happy to find that this place had been virtually untouched by the infection that had taken humanity by storm. There were absolutely no signs of the violent creatures anywhere in these woods from what they could tell so far and—God willing—it would stay that way.

As soon as they returned to the office, they both decided a good night's rest was in order in case the coming day held any problems. Boomer conked out instantly, his soft snores comforting among the nighttime chorus of nature outside. Bubbles had fallen asleep immediately after, but now she found herself blearily opening her eyes to see nothing but darkness engulfing the room. Boomer was still sleeping, his arm wrapped around her waist loosely, and she wondered what had woken her up.

She listened to the noises of the small office but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Maybe she woke up because this was a place she wasn't used to being in? When people moved to new homes, they usually had a little trouble sleeping because they weren't used to their new residence. Maybe that was why she woke up in the middle of the night?

Buttercup, ever the kind sister, once told Bubbles that people often woke up at odd hours of the night because the body could sense that something was watching them. That wasn't exactly comforting to remember, especially not in this situation, but then again, Blossom counteracted Buttercup's lovely words of wisdom by explaining that the brain will often block the body's signals during sleep to keep the individual unconscious while cells repaired themselves. However, sometimes signals came through anyway hence why people woke up in the middle of the night without knowing why.

...Bubbles liked to think Blossom was right and Buttercup was just trying to scare her, but in this new world, Buttercup's explanation could actually be the reason why she wasn't sleeping. Maybe something was wrong, but if it was, wouldn't she feel it in her gut? She didn't feel like she was being watched, so then why was she awake?

Suddenly, a blinking light illuminated the room for a second and she realized that it was a text notification. She grabbed her phone off the nightstand and clicked it on, immediately opening her inbox to see the new message. It was the one from Buttercup. Bubbles tried to open it, but the app crashed.

She sat up, earning a soft groan of protest from Boomer as she did so, and tried again.

The app refused to work.

She sighed.

Boomer stirred again. "Bubbles? Wha'sa matter?"

She glanced at him before placing her phone back on the nightstand.

"It's nothing, just woke up for some reason."

He opened his arms, signalling he wanted to cuddle her again, and she obliged him, snuggling close despite the sticky air around them.

Her mind wandered to her sisters again. Were they okay, was her father okay? Why wouldn't that stupid text message load?

And why did she get the feeling that this specific text was important?

* * *

The next morning was spent going through the cafeteria, which actually had quite a few non-perishable foods they could use.

"We really hit the jackpot with this place," Boomer remarked, holding up an unopened box of Golden Grahams. "We've got enough food in here to last us for _months_!"

"Is it still good, or has it expired?" Bubbles grabbed a can of beets from one of the shelves and checked it for an expiration date. Sure enough, it was still good; most of the non-perishables in this pantry were good for years, let alone months.

"It looks like most of it is still good," he assured, examining a box of stove-top stuffing. "You think anyone's planning on coming here?"

The idea gave her pause. What _if_ they were raiding someone's food supply? What if there were other people staying here only to come back and find the two blondes stealing from their stash? It was possible there were other folks using this campground as a kind of headquarters...

At Bubbles' silence, Boomer turned to her.

"Bubbles?"

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"I was just thinking," she admitted. "Do you think there were people before us? You know, using this place as a hideout? What if we're raiding someone else's food supply?"

He blinked at her. "Uh... We've been doing this apocalypse thing for weeks, now. I think if there were people staying here, they would've come back by now or they would've taken their food with them... unless something happened, of course."

She nodded slowly, considering his words. That made sense... But still, maybe they shouldn't indulge in too much food just in case.

Boomer seemed to read her thoughts because he set the box of stuffing down. "We won't take much, just what we need. I don't think the owners are coming back anytime soon, but we'll be careful just in case."

"Okay." She heaved a sigh of relief. She wasn't trying to be a pessimist or anything—she knew that Boomer was happy to have found an entire stash of edible foodstuffs, and rightfully so—but they had to think realistically. If there was anything Buttercup's horror movie marathons taught her, it was that the real monsters in apocalyptic situations were almost always human beings. The monsters were dangerous, of course, but an irrational, pissed off human being—most likely armed with a grudge, a gun, and/or obedient henchmen? That was the last thing they needed.

Boomer pushed a few boxes aside and whistled at something he discovered, reaching back into the pantry to retrieve whatever he'd found.

"Oh man, I forgot about these," he moaned, opening the box of cereal and immediately pouring some into a bowl. He knew it wasn't going to taste great with water, but food was food. He closed his eyes and hummed his appreciation at the taste of Golden Grahams, a cereal he never thought he'd get to have again.

"So good..."

Bubbles smiled at him and helped herself to a peanut butter and chocolate granola bar. They sat at the table enjoying their breakfast, listening to the sounds of nature echoing around them through the thick woods outside. This place was like a mini-paradise; after they'd woken up and gotten ready for the day, Boomer mentioned he couldn't wait to take a dip in the lake. The water looked even clearer when the sun was high in the sky and it was sweltering outside; even Bubbles, cautious as she was, was seriously considering joining him if the heat got too unbearable.

When she finished eating, she leaned back against her chair contently. "You know, it's strange that all this food was here."

Boomer poured a little more cereal into his bowl, appreciating how crunchy and fresh it tasted despite sitting on the pantry shelf for God knows how long. "Whaddya mean?"

"Think about it," she continued. "All this food is considered non-perishable, meant to last for a long time."

"They were probably stocking up for when people came to check in," he offered, pressing his spoon against some of the cereal squares to submerge them in the water. "Kids usually eat cereal for breakfast, so maybe that's why we've got, like, fifty boxes of cereal and pop-tarts and stuff. Maybe they were only able to get the non-perishables and were actually waiting to order the perishable foods once they actually had customers."

That made sense.

"Could be," she admitted. After a moment or two of deliberating, she plucked the box of granola bars off the floor and helped herself to another one. She wasn't going to take too many out of respect for a potential owner of this stash, but there were at least thirty boxes of granola bars. Maybe another one wouldn't hurt; they might as well make the best of this sudden good fortune anyway. There was no telling how long it would last.

* * *

A few days passed without issue. Bubbles and Boomer were relieved to find that no one came poking around the camp to claim the store of food they'd discovered, and no infected were prowling around the woods.

On this particular day, Bubbles was sitting on a small bench located next to the recreation area, her legs tucked underneath her while a book lay open in her lap. It was noon and the hot weather was still going strong. She and Boomer had already gone swimming in the lake a few times, and they'd even bathed in it. Along with the stores of food, there were also complimentary items in the cabins like tiny bottles of shampoo, conditioner, bars of soap, disposable toiletries and towels. Bubbles didn't have a bathing suit, but that didn't stop her from diving off the dock in her bra and underwear when she couldn't take the heat anymore.

Usually when that happened, Boomer would wolf-whistle at her but it was all in good fun. He'd then sit on the dock and let his feet soak in the cool water, content to chat with her or relax in the sunshine, or he'd join her, which would result in either a splash fight or a game of Marco-Polo, which _then_ resulted in lots of kissing once the other person was finally caught.

Although Bubbles had a book cracked open, she hadn't been able to read a single sentence; most of her attention was on the blonde young man currently dribbling a basketball a few feet away from her.

"Twenty bucks says I make this shot!" he challenged, and at his cocky tone, she smiled.

"You're on."

Boomer made the shot and missed, the basketball bouncing off the hoop and back towards him. He caught it easily and kicked at a stray pebble.

"Dammit! I thought I had that one, too."

"I do believe you owe me twenty bucks, good sir," Bubbles teased, and he chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." He winked at her. "As soon as I can find a job, I promise, you'll be twenty bucks richer."

"You might have a hard time in this economy," Bubbles joked, and he laughed.

"You're not wrong."

Bubbles went back to her book after that, her attention divided again as she listened to Boomer continue to try to make the basket. After a few unsuccessful attempts, he started doing well.

"Okay, another twenty bucks says I can do it this time."

She made a face. "That's not fair, now you've had practice."

"Well duh, practice makes perfect." He stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed.

"Keep sticking your tongue out at me and you won't get it back for a little while."

It took him a moment to understand what she meant, and when he got it, his face turned red and he covered his face for a moment.

"Holy shit, Bubbles."

She made kissing noises. "Love you, Boomer."

"Love you, too." Despite his blushing, a sincere smile lit up his features and he set the basketball to the side. "I think that's enough exercise for one day. The air is getting sticky and I have yet to wash my clothes in the lake. Last thing I need is another sweaty shirt to add to the pile."

Indeed, the humidity was increasing again. The summer heat was not exactly a bad thing; it was much easier to deal with than the brutal, cold winters that Townsville usually experienced but it also wasn't exactly fun to feel the air getting all sticky and gross. Sometimes the humidity made it difficult to breathe, resulting in headaches for both of them. Not to mention they weren't sure if some of their canned foods could spoil in the intense heat, taking away from their precious food supply.

Boomer sat down next to Bubbles with a towel in his hands. As he dabbed at his sweaty forehead with it, she closed her book and set it to the side.

They both looked around at the thin woods surrounding the recreation area, enjoying the sight of golden sunlight filtering in through the thick green foliage. It was an almost nostalgic glow and it made Bubbles wonder what it was about afternoon sunshine that made everything look so warm, cozy, and surreal. The chorus of nature around them provided a soothing soundtrack and the water of the lake looked oh-so inviting, the sunlight making the surface sparkle. Boomer's hand found hers after a few heartbeats.

"This is nice," he commented, his voice soft. "I'm glad we found this place."

"Me too." Bubbles squeezed his hand gently and he smiled, turning to really look at her as she looked out at the gorgeous greenery around them. The way her hair shone in the light, her skin practically glowing even though their diet hadn't exactly been the best for the past few weeks... He couldn't remember the last time he thought of a girl as truly beautiful. Sure, there were girls he could recognize to be pretty or attractive, but after getting to know Bubbles, after spending time with her, after falling for her slowly but surely... She was _beautiful_ , from her looks to the perpetual compassion of her heart. If he was being completely honest (and he usually was, whether he wanted to be or not), he could stare at her forever.

He could see a few freckles here and there on her cheeks, tiny little kisses from the sun that she'd obtained over the years. He wondered if she spent her summers at the beach, and he wondered what it would be like to spend a day at the beach _with_ her. Something about Bubbles felt like home, like he'd known her his entire life, and he wished the world was normal because if it was, he had a feeling they'd have a wonderful life together, even if all they did was hang out as friends.

After a few heartbeats, she turned to him, the sun still bathing her in its rays. A smile lifted the corners of her lips.

"What's up?"

"N-nothing." He blushed and looked away, slightly embarrassed that he was caught admiring her. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"Staring."

Bubbles giggled. "You're sweet. There's no need to apologize."

After a few minutes, he decided he should say what he was thinking.

"You know something?" Boomer said, moving closer to her. He took her hands into his and she turned to him, glancing down at their intertwined fingers before lifting her gaze to his curiously.

"Hm?"

"You're really beautiful."

Butterflies filled her stomach as her cheeks grew pink.

"T-thank you."

"It's the truth," he assured her, his thumb rubbing soft circles into her knuckles. "So... Yeah."

She didn't speak for a moment, but then she looked up shyly at him.

"Well, you're really handsome."

Boomer's own cheeks began to grow pink and not merely because of the heat. "Thank you. I-I just thought you should know that, y'know... You _are_ beautiful. I've seen a lot of pretty people and things in my life, but none of them hold a candle to you."

Bubbles was speechless. She'd never received a compliment like that before. Sure, guys had fed her the whole 'you're beautiful' line in the past, but they lacked the sincerity that was at the core of Boomer's heart. When Boomer said something, he usually meant it and she knew that.

Turns out that she didn't need to say anything because Boomer leaned in and pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss.

That same night, Boomer was going to take first watch. They were both feeling lazy after eating a makeshift dinner of canned vegetables and the humidity had only gotten worse, leading to Boomer discarding his shirt and Bubbles changing into a pair of shorts and a cotton tank top.

Boomer was initially going to sit outside the office they'd taken residence in and keep an eye on the world outside, but Bubbles couldn't sleep. She joined him on the wicker loveseat and they held hands, content to gaze up at the stars while keeping an ear out for any suspicious sounds.

"What do you think is happening out there?" Boomer asked absentmindedly, his voice barely audible.

Bubbles glanced at him, her eyes lingering over his handsome features before following his gaze back to the heavens above.

"I really don't know. It seems like everything keeps getting worse, though."

"The infected got smarter. Isn't that strange?"

"Very," she agreed. "It's like something out of a horror movie."

"Yeah." Boomer snorted. "And thank goodness we haven't been killed off yet."

She cracked a slight smile, but the thought of her family chased away any inkling of amusement. Then she thought about Brick and Butch, and hoped they would return and see the note they left. If she could have it her way, everyone would be okay; there would be relieved reunions, no one would be infected or hurt, and the world would resume as it once did. Not that Bubbles wanted the bad stuff to continue, like crime and pain and sorrow, but... If she could have a regular day where all she worried about was dragging her lazy butt out of bed to get to class on time, she'd be overjoyed.

"I hope this lasts forever," she murmured.

"What, the apocalypse? Damn, Bubbles, that's dark."

She elbowed Boomer playfully and he chuckled.

"Okay, okay, bad joke."

"I meant about us."

His eyes widened with surprise. "Us?"

"Being here with you." Her voice was calm, reflecting the peace and ease she felt. "We're safe right now, we have everything we need... I hope it lasts forever. I hope our families are okay and that we get to see them again soon, but for right now, I'm glad that _we're_ okay. It feels like a dream after being locked in a nightmare for so long."

Boomer considered her words before nodding in agreement. "You know, I'm really glad I met you."

She blushed. "Me?"

"Yeah. I don't know what I would've done if Brick and Butch left me behind and I didn't have you with me. You've been keeping me together, honestly, and you make me happy. It's just... Thank you. For sticking with me, for kicking me in the pants when I felt hopeless... For everything, really."

"You don't have to thank me for anything," she joked, poking his arm. "If anything, you've been keeping _me_ together. I wasn't doing well by myself... I mean, I had supplies and stuff, but you pulled me out of my shell when I was being held back by fear. You really... You gave me hope when I was just barely hanging on. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along. I don't know how long I would've lasted by myself, a-and I don't mean... I don't mean because of the infected. I'm not good at being alone for a long time, so without my family, I probably would've..."

By the end of her statement, her voice had grown resigned, hints of despair bleeding into her tone. Boomer looked sad at her words, opening his mouth to say something, but Bubbles forced a smile.

"B-but! On a lighter note, thanks for teaching me how to laugh again, for being a good friend to me, and for showing me what it's like to kinda sorta be in love with someone, even though everything kinda happened really fast," she finished, grinning sheepishly despite her watery eyes.

He knew she had meant her previous words. Bubbles was sweet and sunny, but he understood perfectly that if someone was alone for enough time, it could prove detrimental... Even fatal. Back in Citysville, he'd been alone a lot thanks to the lies Princess had spread after their breakup. No friends, barely any time with family (Mojo and Butch were always at work and Brick was always either working or going to class), plus constantly being stuck in a dead-end job where his boss and coworkers clearly disliked him? Sometimes Boomer used to think that it might be better if he didn't exist at all, that if he disappeared no one would care.

But then they moved to Townsville and suddenly, he had a clean slate. People didn't look down on him or treat him like a pest; he could actually make conversation with people and not feel like a total burden.

And then the infection, losing Mojo, his brothers leaving... Meeting Bubbles had been a blessing in itself. She was his partner in crime, his girlfriend, his... Well, he wasn't sure if it was right to call her his 'other half' just yet, but he definitely knew she was important to him. She was everything he wasn't, but not in a bad way; she complemented him, made him laugh, she was strong and smart but also kind. She could (and already had) matched his wit; for someone that had been called useless his entire life, he was happy to have been able to give her some sort of light in this world of darkness.

Boomer pressed his lips to her forehead. "You're important to me, Bubbles. I don't know how you did it, but you stole my heart the minute I met you, just took me a while to realize it. You really are my best friend and I love you, I love being with you. Even though we can't go on dates or anything, just getting to sit with you and make you laugh, to hear what you think, to hear all your stories... I don't think I'd have it any other way. I'm glad I met you and that, y'know... You're still here with me. I could say the same for myself, honestly... If I hadn't met you when I did, without my brothers or my dad, I don't think I would've been able to make it either."

She leaned her forehead against his and they both closed their eyes, simply reveling in each other's presence. No more words were needed; they understood everything that was unspoken between each other.

After a little while, though, Bubbles decided to lighten up the mood. She nuzzled her nose against his affectionately.

"Sorry if I got sappy on you."

Boomer pretended to wipe away a stray tear. "It wasn't sappy, it was _beautiful!"_

"Oh, shush," she laughed, shoving him. He laughed as well, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer.

"Kidding, as always." He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "If there's ever anything I can do to make you smile and keep you safe, you better believe I'll do it. You deserve to be confident and happy, and in this world, if I had to survive with anyone, I'm glad it's you."

"Me too. I'm glad that if I'm with anyone right now, I get to be with you."

Boomer leaned in and kissed her. When he pulled away, Bubbles leaned over and began peppering his face with kisses, causing him to grin like a fool.

They were safe, for now, and they were happy.

And Bubbles really hoped that this little shred of happiness would last.

* * *

 **Quick note: the tunnels opening up to the doghouse-like structures? Yeah, so... I see those little doghouses everywhere in the countryside, the ones with the crosses on top and the little windows? I have no idea what they're for, but they're the first thing that came to mind. I'm not sure if they're burial grounds for beloved dogs and no disrespect meant towards people who use these kinds of structures to create a memorial. To be honest, anytime I see a crumbling shed or a tiny building in ruins, it always fascinates me, like what if some kind of awesome secret was inside?**

 **Anyway so yeah, again, no disrespect meant! Just playing with an idea lol.**


	19. Chapter 19

**To Anonymous L: Well actually... I have thought about getting this story published. ****I have a Wattpad account and I might publish a few of the original, fully-edited chapters on there (I can drop the username if enough people are interested in seeing this story as an original work, not just a PPG fanfic); I've already figured out original names, plot tweaks, etc. so I'm hoping, in the future, this story can make it onto people's shelves if they enjoy it enough.** **Only thing is, I'm still unsure if I would actually get this story published... But I'll keep everyone posted, and if enough people are interested in seeing it happen, who knows?** **Honestly, your review made my day! I don't think I've ever had someone tell me they liked my writing so much that they'd actually be interested in buying a copy. That's a very high compliment; thank you so much for your review, and for reading my story! ^_^**

 **Thank you to everyone who reviewed and for the new faves/follows; I hope you continue to enjoy the story! Hope all is well!**

 **Just one little note: I'm going to be starting school again very soon, so if chapter updates become non-existent for a while, I haven't given up; I'm just very busy. I'll try to work on updates when I can, but they may be far and few in-between for a little while buuut this is my last semester and then I get my English BA! Woop woooop! ;D**

* * *

 **.: 19 :.**

Thunder cracked across the sky as torrents of rain pounded the campgrounds.

Bubbles watched as raindrops dribbled down the window of the office bedroom, racing another droplet down the window pane. This was the first thunderstorm they'd had in a while and the humidity had dropped considerably, which was quite a blessing considering the heat had been unbearable the past few days. It was a gloomy day out, but it was nice for a change; Bubbles loved sunshine but sometimes gray days were beautiful in their own way.

Boomer closed the book he'd been reading and got up to place it back on the bookshelf. He came back to sit next to her on the bed, joining her in watching the rain beat softly against the window.

They'd been at the campgrounds for at least a week now, with no problems whatsoever. Their food supply was still pretty sizeable and they were happy, enjoying the reprieve from infected. The only nuisance was the mosquito bites they earned from sitting outside to take watch during the nighttime.

"Think the storm will let up soon?" he asked.

"I don't think so," she replied, eyes lifting to the overcast sky. "We've got a lot of cloud cover so it might last all day, maybe two."

"Figures." He sighed and let himself fall back against the bed, closing his eyes before running a hand over his face. He didn't mind a little rain, but he hated having nothing to do. It was times like these that he wished he had his phone, or at least some kind of video game to distract him. It was too bad he hadn't thought to bring his old GameBoy Advance along... If he had, he could pop in a game and entertain himself and Bubbles for a little while.

It might be worth it to make a quick trip to his house to grab the small gaming console, but with how the infected seemed to be taking over the neighborhood, maybe it was best to stay put where they were.

Bubbles eventually turned away from the window and settled down beside him. She wasn't tired so a nap was out of the question, but she was bored out of her mind. She looked at Boomer, who looked just as bored as she did.

"You know what would be nice?" she asked. He hummed to let her know he was listening.

"It'd be cool if we had electricity. Today would've been perfect for curling up and having a movie marathon."

"Or a gaming marathon." Boomer grinned. "Bet I'd kick your butt at Mario Party."

She chuckled. "You wish."

"Seriously! I used to be the best at that game. Brick never played it because he knew he'd get his ass handed to him and Butch would talk so much shit. Buuut in the end, he'd lose. I was ruthless as Toad."

At that, Bubbles burst out laughing. "You slaughtered your brothers as Toad?"

He cracked open one eye to look at her, mischief clear in his gaze. "Of course. Do you know how hilarious it is to wipe the floor with Mario and Dry Bones as Toad?"

She could only imagine Butch and Brick getting frustrated and throwing down their controllers in rage at having lost to Boomer, purposing playing as a cute character like Toad.

Boomer chuckled. "Did you ever play that game with your sisters?"

She nodded. "Not often, but yeah. My sister, Buttercup, usually hogged the gaming console to try out new horror games, first-person shooters, that kind of thing, so I usually didn't play much of anything; me and my oldest sister Blossom would just watch her play."

"Oh... Did you have any favorites? Like, did you have any games that you liked watching her play through? I know that when I was a kid, we'd take turns playing the _Megaman X_ franchise, all the way up to X7. I was never good at those games, but Brick was the master at collecting all the energy tanks and finding all the hidden capsules to upgrade his armor."

Bubbles thought back to when Buttercup would replay certain video games for nostalgic value. Most of them were, like she'd said, first-person shooters, which the noirette tended to breeze through without difficulty, but occasionally she'd set up a Nintendo game or something from EA Games, like _The Sims_ games. Bubbles herself used to be a huge fan of _The Legend of Zelda_ , begging Professor Utonium for each new game that came out. Ever since she finished high school, though, she kind of drifted away from the franchise, instead turning her attention to fashion, writing, and figuring out her place in the world.

"Well... My sisters and I used to have this thing where if we were sick, the healthy one of us would marathon a game." She lost herself in a memory of when she and Blossom caught the flu when they were around nine years-old and Buttercup, who had miraculously remained healthy, played _The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker_ for the whole family. The Professor had joined them after whipping up a pot of homemade chicken-noodle soup, and they all watched as Link's adventure progressed from Outset Island all the way to slowly filling in the sea chart (by then, Bubbles and Blossom had recovered, but they continued to watch Buttercup go through the game until she successfully defeated Ganon).

"Buttercup got me into _The Legend of Zelda_ when I was little," she continued, smiling at the memory. She wished they could have a video game marathon now, in the wake of the thunderstorm currently raging outside. "Before she was allowed to play shooting games, she played a lot of Nintendo stuff."

"Did you ever play?"

"When I was younger, yeah, I was a beast at _Ocarina of Time_ and _Twilight Princess_ , especially _Wind Waker_ since I'd watched Buttercup play through it so often, but then life happened and I just kinda..." Bubbles shrugged. "I guess I lost interest for a while. Link was my first crush, though."

"No way." Boomer chuckled. "Princess Zelda was _my_ first crush! How crazy is that?"

Bubbles looked up at him, both of his eyes now open and regarding her with mirth. "You're kidding!"

"Brick used to tease me all the time about how I'd blush like crazy whenever Princess Zelda was on the screen. Oh, and we used to watch those old '80s cartoons and I thought she was so pretty and strong."

"The cartoon was kinda different from the games, though."

"True, but I always liked the whole blonde hair-blue eyes thing."

Bubbles poked his side and it caused him to flinch away from her, letting out a surprised yelp. "So you're saying you have a thing for blondes?"

He poked her back and she squealed, shifting away from him. "Maybe. What's it to _you_ , cutie?"

She stuck her tongue out and he laughed.

"What is it you once said to me? 'Keep sticking your tongue out and you won't get it back for a while'?"

Bubbles stuck her tongue out again in response and he lunged forward to capture her lips in a sweet kiss. Bubbles giggled against his mouth before giving in, Boomer propping himself up on one elbow so he wasn't kissing her at an awkward angle.

Their tongues danced effortlessly for a few minutes before they had to pull back, each panting for air.

"Stop being so damn good at kissing," Boomer groaned, burying his face in Bubbles' shoulder. "You're killing me here."

Bubbles kissed the side of his head. "Ditto, Boomer."

He looked up suddenly. "You know, I just thought of something."

She raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Don't campgrounds usually have, like, a storage building or something?"

Bubbles shrugged. "I don't know. This is the first campground I've ever been to."

Mischief twinkled in Boomer's eyes and Bubbles found herself grinning, wondering what her goofy boyfriend was thinking.

"I wonder..."

* * *

"I'm gonna get you!"

Bubbles laughed despite the pouring rain, sneaking behind one of the cabin buildings. "Like hell you are!"

Boomer crept around the corner of the basketball court, sidling against the wall before peeking around the bend. It was a little hard to see considering his soaked hair was clinging to his face. He was constantly pushing his bangs out of his eyes, and he could just barely make out a wisp of blonde hair as it disappeared behind one of the other cabins, but it was enough to make him start forward. Sure enough, the pretty blonde he was after was only a few feet away holding her water gun at her side with both hands as if she were getting ready to jump out and shoot.

He grinned and continued to creep closer. Just before he could surprise her, Bubbles surprised him by spinning on her heel and squirting him with water.

"Hah! Gotcha!"

Boomer laughed and held up a hand in an attempt to shield himself from her assault, lifting his own water gun to fire back, but she took off before he could pull the trigger.

"That was a cheap shot!" he called, and he heard her giggles not too far away.

"Maybe, but it worked!"

He grinned and chuckled to himself, glancing down at the plastic toy in his hand. Perks of staying at a campground? The gift shop sold water guns and, with a lake nearby, they had unlimited 'ammunition.' It had been Bubbles' idea, ironically enough; after spending two whole days inside, they were both antsy to go outside and do _something_ , even if it was just to walk around. It was pure chance that Boomer stumbled across the gift shop and found a plethora of things like oddly-shaped pool floats, water guns, and other summer-themed stuff waiting to be played with. Bubbles had already called dibs on the pool float that was shaped like a cartoon box of French fries and Boomer, the one that resembled a whale with hand-grips and everything.

He ducked down and moved forward, peeking out from around the bend to make sure the coast was clear. Bubbles had "shot" him five times already and he would be damned if he didn't get her back at least once.

He caught sight of golden hair disappearing behind one of the other buildings and immediately ran back the way he came, hoping to catch her off-guard. He snuck closer towards the lake at the sound of water splashing.

 _She's reloading. Now's my chance!_

Sure enough, he crept out from behind the wall he was hiding behind and tiptoed towards the unsuspecting blonde. She was just capping off her water gun when Boomer snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Bubbles squealed in surprise and kicked her feet, laughing once she realized he'd caught her.

"Got you, Bubbles! There's no escape!"

She stopped struggling against him and turned around, surprising _him_ by wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning on her tip-toes to kiss him. Boomer's eyes widened slightly before he gave into her, moving to cup her cheek when she pulled away suddenly, sprinting away from him while laughing.

" _Sike_!"

"Hey, no fair!" Boomer pouted. She'd initiated a pretty hot kiss...

"All's fair in love and war, babe!"

...Okay, she had a point, but still!

"Try and catch me now!" she called over her shoulder, a radiant smile on her face despite the gloomy weather. Boomer couldn't help but grin as well.

"Oh, it's _on_ , girly!"

Boomer cackled maniacally and sprinted towards her, already aiming to shoot at her, but Bubbles didn't realize she'd planted her foot in a slick, muddy spot. Her foot slid at an odd angle and twisted her ankle harshly, dropping to the ground with a pained yelp. She tried to sit up and nurse her injured ankle, but the sharp pains shooting up and down her leg made it hard to move.

The other blonde was immediately at her side, water gun forgotten on the ground where he'd dropped it. He placed a hand over her ankle and she physically cringed, hissing at the soft contact. He withdrew his hand and looked up at her with concern.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. How bad is it?"

"It's not your f-fault." She let out a shuddering breath, fighting back tears. "Ah... It's p-pretty bad."

He squinted at the injury through the rain, trying to gauge how severe it was, but it was hard to with how harshly the rain was coming down. And, as if on cue, a soft clap of thunder rumbled in the distance and they both swore under their breaths. So much for a fun day out in the rain... Not that they would've continued goofing around with Bubbles' injury, but playing out in the rain when thunder and lightning were around was not a risk they wanted to take.

Boomer stood up. "I'm going to carry you inside, okay?"

At Bubbles' nod, he carefully scooped her up bridal-style and brought her into the office. He set her down on the bed as gently as he could and she shivered, the combination of her wet clothes and the cool breeze seeping in through the open windows making her feel even more uncomfortable.

Boomer immediately tried to rectify the situation by closing the windows as best he could. He helped Bubbles by sliding off her sneakers and removing her socks, tossing them to the floor to dry on their own.

"Do you want me to help you with, um..." He motioned towards her outfit and Bubbles blushed.

"N-no, that's okay. I can do that myself, but thanks for helping me with my shoes."

Now that her socks were off, she could see the purple blotch forming around her ankle and it didn't look pretty. She'd probably have to be off her feet for a few days, which was really not ideal considering their situation. Yes, they had been lucky so far in not having encountered any infected, but if they _did_ show up and Bubbles couldn't walk or run...

She shuddered, not wanting to think about that. Instead, she nodded towards her backpack.

"Could you just toss me my bag? I can take it from there."

"Sure." Boomer obliged her and stepped out of the room to give her privacy as she changed into dry clothes. When she was finished, she felt much better, curling up under some of the throw blankets they'd also pilfered from the gift shop. Boomer set her backpack next to the nightstand so all she'd have to do was reach down if she needed to get something from it. After changing into a fresh set of dry clothes himself, he curled up under the blankets with her and, together, they watched as the weather outside worsened.

The coming thunderstorm arrived and cracked down upon the campground with terrifying might, the wind-driven rain roaring against the roof and windows of the office. Bubbles thought it was kind of funny, honestly, how something as simple as a storm could make a person feel so small. When she was little, she used to fear thunder and lightning; now, as an adult, she didn't mind it so much but it was still humbling to listen to. Nature was a mighty force, terrifying yet also beautiful.

The same could not be said, however, for the creatures running amok around Townsville and the rest of the world.

"Do you really think there's more infected out there?" Bubbles asked, looking up at Boomer curiously.

"Out in the world?" At her nod, he sighed.

"To be honest with you, I'm not sure. Brick's radio worked for a little bit and we heard some reports, but... Who knows? I think so, though, based on how much the infected like to bite things."

She hummed in response, not really agreeing or disagreeing. She didn't like to think that the infected had managed to take over the entire world, but... Maybe it wouldn't do any good to hold out hope that things might be different outside of the Pokey Oaks region. Maybe the entire world was okay and it was just Townsville and Citysville that were dealing with this epidemic.

A few moments passed and they continued to listen to the rain, both not really thinking about anything; just enjoying the peace.

Bubbles broke the silence again when she whispered, "I hope our families are okay."

"I know they are," Boomer reassured her, kissing her temple. "Something's gotta give soon."

The blonde must have jinxed something because sure enough, later that night that, something _did_ give.

Boomer had gone out to patrol the perimeter of the camp quickly to make sure nothing was lurking around. While he did that, Bubbles checked her phone to see if any information on her apps had been updated. Nothing had, of course, but it was still worth keeping tabs on despite her battery getting closer to dying.

After trying and failing to load the weather app, Bubbles sighed and clicked the screen off, placing her phone on the nightstand. She had just readjusted herself so that she was laying on her back when something lit up the room.

Bubbles picked up her phone again, eyebrows furrowing in confusion at the blinking light. After checking her phone a few days ago to see Buttercup's message (and still not being able to see it), the little light had stopped for good. Was her phone glitching out or something?

She swiped across the screen and opened her inbox, shocked to see a new number. She ignored the message preview and quickly tapped on it, opening it up to view the entire thing immediately. Her face lit up with joy at its contents.

 _'Hey Bubbles, it's Brick. We made it back to the house, hope you guys are safe. We have weapons so if you guys are able to come back, we can regroup and head to an evac zone together.'_

Bubbles let out an excited squeal, hugging her phone close to her body. Boomer would be thrilled to know his brothers were safe!

"BOOMER!" she yelled. "Boomer, come quick!"

Only a minute passed before he came bursting through the door, baseball bat at the ready.

"Bubbles? What's wrong?!"

"Look, look!" She held the phone out in front of him so he could read the message. He relaxed his stance and let the bat drop to the floor, squinting at the message on the screen. It took him only a few seconds of trying to make out what exactly the curly font said before his face grew stone-cold.

"Can you text him back and ask him what the code word is?"

Bubbles blinked, surprised at his sudden seriousness. "Oh, uh.. Sure. Any reason why?"

He lowered his eyes sadly. "Because anyone could have found that number. It's been two weeks, and... I haven't given up hope that they'll come back, but... Only Brick and Butch know our secret code word. If it's really them, they'll know what to text back."

 _Oh... Good thinking._

She pretended to pout, trying to lighten the mood. "And you didn't think to let me in on it?"

Boomer rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "The code word is weird. You'll laugh at me."

"Try me."

He blew a raspberry before giving in.

"The secret code word we use is dumb-bah."

Bubbles tilted her head to the side, repeating what he'd just said in an inquisitive tone. Boomer blushed.

"Okay so, when I was a kid, I wasn't the brightest bulb in the box. When Mojo was helping me study for spelling tests, he'd always say 'dumb' with an emphasis on the 'b' sound because I kept forgetting. Well, my brothers heard it one time and ever since, they always pronounce it with emphasis on the 'b' just to mess with me... Oh hey, that actually rhymed."

Bubbles smiled. "That's really cute."

"What, that my brothers still tease me over Mojo's mnemonic, or that I was an idiot? Wow, I see how it is."

At her playful shove, he chuckled. "Kidding, kidding. Yeah, looking back, it _was_ kinda cute, but I'm a man, now. A big, strong man who can spell the word 'dumb' without having to remind himself there's a silent 'b' at the end."

He puffed out his chest and flexed, making Bubbles laugh. She quickly typed out the text asking for the super-secret Jojo brother code word, sending it with a shake of her head. Boomer really was such a goober.

What shocked her is that she instantly got a reply, as if her phone _hadn't_ been having trouble sending and receiving texts for the past month.

 _'Tell Boomer he's dumb-bah.'_

As soon as Bubbles passed him her phone so he could read the message for himself, his eyes lit up. He hoisted Bubbles up and spun her around, laughing with her triumphantly.

"They're _okay_! They're really okay!"

He gently sat her back down on the bed and cupped her face, kissing her once, twice, then a third time for good measure. Bubbles giggled all the while, her own hands cupping his face. A great big smile remained on Boomer's face before his expression crumpled and tears welled up within his eyes. He closed them, sniffling, and Bubbles rested her forehead against his, running her thumbs over his cheeks in an attempt to comfort him.

"They're really okay..." Her heart broke at the pain-filled crack in his voice. "My God, Bubbles, I th-thought they were..."

She pulled him into a hug, holding him tightly as he cried into her shoulder. She rubbed soothing circles into his back, whispering that everything was alright, that the text was real and his brothers were okay. When Boomer was able to collect himself, he wiped at his eyes, still sniffling softly.

"I can't believe... I can't believe they made it back. I'm so happy and relieved, you have no idea."

Bubbles grinned. "I _told_ you they'd be back!"

"Yeah, yeah, you told me so." He nuzzled his nose against hers, hugging her again. "You were right and I'm so happy you were. My brothers are _alive_!"

* * *

The very next morning, the first streaks of dawn were beginning to paint the sky when Bubbles found Boomer going through his backpack, making sure he had everything he needed for the journey to see his brothers.

Bubbles was propped up against the metal headboard with a few pillows they'd grabbed from the other cabins, watching as he took stock of the few articles of food he was going to take with him just in case something happened and he got stranded somewhere.

It was around four in the morning when Boomer decided to get up for the day and start packing. Bubbles had barely opened her eyes when she realized what he was doing, and he'd explained that after mulling it over for most of the night, he thought it would be best to meet his brothers back at the house and lead them back to the campgrounds, where they could figure out their next plan of action. Bubbles, however, would be staying behind while Boomer set out on this mini-journey to give her ankle time to heal.

She didn't like the idea at all, honestly, but she could see the logic behind it. Boomer wasn't at a disadvantage like she currently was.

"So you really think I should stay behind?" she asked, hoping he'd changed his mind within the past few hours of preparing for the journey ahead.

"You can't run far on a sprained ankle," Boomer reminded, shrugging his backpack on. His burden was significantly lighter than when they'd first arrived at this place, both figuratively and literally, and it showed; he was quite chipper this morning. "Listen, it's nothing personal and I _do_ want you to come with me, but... I don't want anything to happen to you. And before you argue with me over that point—" he held up a hand the moment she opened her mouth to protest "—I know that you can take care of yourself, that's not the issue here. The issue is that you're injured and if we need to book it, you run the risk of making it worse or getting caught by those things. They're fast, they won't give you extra time to get safe; they'll take advantage of _any_ weakness they pick up on."

"I know that," she grumbled, hating that he was right. "It's just that I don't like the idea of staying behind. I'd rather go with you."

He smiled. "I know, I understand. But I'll be back as soon as I can, and I _will_ be back, you can count on it."

Bubbles tried to smile back, but it resembled more of a grimace. Boomer knew she was feeling uneasy about being by herself and he understood it completely, so he sat down next to her and pulled her into his chest.

"I'll be back in a day or two at the most, and then my obnoxious brothers will be here and we'll be heading to the zone, where we can figure out a way to find your family. Everything will be alright. It's just for a little while."

"I know." Bubbles hated how meek her voice sounded. "It's going to feel weird without you here."

"I know, but I promise, it's only for a short time."

She looked up at him with such a heartbreaking expression that he really wished he didn't have to leave her.

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you more." He kissed her forehead. "While I'm gone, enjoy the quiet because once me and my bros are back, you'll probably be hearing me and Butch bicker, like, a _lot_. To the point where you'll probably tell all of us to shut the frick-frack up."

The chuckle that Bubbles managed was bittersweet. She was dreading the silence that would come with Boomer's absence, but she knew he was right; it would only be for a little while. Good times, bad times... Everything only _ever_ lasted for a little while, a fact that was unnecessary for Boomer to point out; she knew it well from her own experience.

"And make sure you take care of that ankle and keep an ear out for anything suspicious," he warned, readjusting his backpack straps. "If you hear anything funny, hide. If someone or something tries to break in and hurt you, you break _them_ , understand?"

She made a face. "Boomer, I love you, but I'm not _five_. If someone tries to hurt me, they're going to get their ass handed to them. End of discussion."

He nodded, winking. "I know you can handle yourself, I'm just reminding you. Oh, and by the way..."

Before Bubbles could ask what else he wanted to say, he cupped her face and kissed her hard, leaving her slightly dazed. She just barely reached up to cup his own face to kiss him back when he pulled away, leaving her wanting more and missing the contact.

"I love you, too. Stay safe; I'll be back." He gave a mock-salute before heading out the door. She heard him secure the locks and then watched as he made his way to the wood line, turning to take one last look at the campground, before he disappeared into the thick foliage. When his footsteps finally faded, all that remained was the sweet sound of birdsong and insects.

Bubbles decided to check her phone one last time to see if, by some miracle, Buttercup's last text finally decided to load in.

But it appeared that when Boomer left, any luck went with him, for her inbox refused to work.

* * *

Boomer entered Professor Utonium's lab cautiously, looking around to make sure nothing was taking up residence there. Once he was satisfied that the lab was clear, he quickly made his way up the stairs and undid the locks just as Bubbles had once shown him. Walking through the house felt weird, like all the events with the infected had taken place years ago instead of weeks. How long had it been since he met Bubbles? Maybe a month ago, now?

Maybe that warranted a detour so he could look through Malph's or something to find her a little 'anniversary' present? It would be dangerous, so he'd really have to think it through before he made any decisions, but it was a tempting thought, especially when he thought of how Bubbles' face would light up at the sight of a little teddy bear or a shiny necklace. The sprained ankle had, understandably, put a damper on her mood, and he knew she wasn't too happy that he'd left her by herself to lead his brothers back to their little safe haven, so if anyone deserved some cheering up, it was Bubbles Utonium.

...Would Malph's even be carrying a little gift like that? Probably not, since it was way past Valentine's day and a grocery store didn't usually carry little stuffed animals unless you counted the plush keychains usually found in the card aisle. Actually, now that he thought about it, that was a pretty good idea... He might not be able to get Bubbles one of those oversized teddy bears, but maybe a small trinket would do the trick all the same. He just wanted to see her smile, and she didn't strike him as the type of girl to hate stuffed animals or any kind of gift.

As long as he could make her smile or laugh, he didn't care what he'd have to get. If it was a small keychain or if he managed to find one of those huge teddy bears and have to stumble down the neighborhood while balancing it on his back, he'd do what he had to do. His brothers would probably make fun of him and call him whipped, but... Bubbles was worth the effort, whether he was 'whipped' or not.

He made his way through the neighborhood, turning the corner at the stop sign to head down the road that led to his house, where his brothers would be waiting. He fully expected Butch to give him noogies for being such a worry-wart when they'd left; Brick would probably just ruffle his hair with a simple, "See? Told ya we'd be back."

However, Boomer got the impression that he was being watched. It felt like eyes were boring holes through him and he quickened his pace. He had no idea where the infected were hiding now, but he knew they'd give chase if they saw him. If he could just make it to Brick and Butch, who'd scored weapons they could use to finally take a stand against these creatures, everything would be alright.

He got so lost in his thoughts that when he came back to his senses, he was already standing at the end of his driveway. The house was still in ruins, but somehow looked different. Something was off, but Boomer figured there was new damage somewhere. The infected had the habit of overdoing everything, from overkill to over-ruining perfectly-innocent buildings, and his house was no exception.

He slowly walked up the driveway and peeked into the living room, taking care not to step on any of the broken glass littering the front lawn. The room was empty save for the overturned, broken furniture, so he moved on to step through the front doorway, wincing when his T-shirt caught on a large splinter sticking out of the door frame. He tugged the fabric free and started to head for the kitchen when he saw the room was occupied.

Butch was leaning against the fridge with his arms folded across his chest, as calm and collected as Boomer had ever seen him look before. Brick sat in one of the wooden dining chairs that hadn't been completely destroyed, drumming his fingers against his knee patiently.

They'd been waiting for him and Boomer was elated to see them, but before he could burst into the room with a joyful greeting, something inside of him forced him to halt. Suddenly, Boomer didn't feel so good; his stomach felt sick and heavy, like he'd just swallowed a bunch of rocks. Dread sat in the pit of his gut and he couldn't understand why.

They hadn't noticed him yet, Butch still looking off to the side while Brick was messing with his phone while the other hand _tap-tap-tapped_ against his knee, and it gave him time to really look at his brothers. Brick and Butch looked the same as they ever did, but... Had they always been so sickly-looking? No, that couldn't be right; the older Jojo brothers were always healthy (aside from Butch's questionable diet of junk food and soft drinks) and their appearance showed it, so why, then, did they look all pale?

...Maybe they'd been spending a lot of time indoors to hide from infected? Boomer knew Citysville was probably loaded with the creatures, but he didn't know just how bad it was. The last time he'd ever been to the pollution-filled location was the day they packed everything up to move to Townsville.

But that didn't account for the pasty complexion when, just weeks before the infection hit, both brothers had been getting tanner from constantly being out in the sun; Butch especially since, after moving here from the city, traded cage-fighting for learning how to work on vehicles. He still trained outside sometimes so he'd already acquired a decent tan way before the infection even hit, yet now, as Boomer got a good look at him, he still appeared tan, but... He didn't look right. The tan of his skin was almost _ashen,_ like he was ill.

Boomer didn't like where his thoughts were taking him.

Ironically, Butch noticed him first, his stony expression transforming into a warm smile that reached his eyes.

"Hey, Boomer. Long time no see, huh?"

Brick turned as well, offering Boomer a smile of his own. Boomer ignored the sick feeling and grinned, stepping fully into the kitchen. These were his brothers, after all; they clearly weren't infected. Everything was going to be okay again, just like old times, and maybe they looked strange because of the way the afternoon shadows were painting them. The last time Boomer had seen an infected, they hadn't exactly looked as calm and collected as his brothers currently did.

His eyes had to be playing tricks on him. Yeah, that had to be it... There was no way his brothers could ever be—

"It's good to see you guys are still alive and kicking!" he chirped a little too loudly, not wanting his thoughts to finish themselves. Then, in a softer tone, "I was worried you might not make it."

Butch pushed off the fridge to pull Boomer into a headlock, giving him noogies. "Seriously? C'mon, kid, give us a little more credit!"

Boomer would have laughed and tried to get back at his brother after getting out of his iron grip, but he noticed Butch's skin was cold.

Like... _Freezing_ cold.

If Bubbles' phone had been correct when they last checked the date, it was the middle of July, so why did Butch's skin feel like he'd been sitting in the freezer for a few hours?

"What the hell?" Boomer tried to make a joke of it despite the feelings of dread growing worse. "What, did you guys take a pit stop in Antarctica or something on your way back? Geez, bro, you're fucking freezing."

Butch ruffled his hair, seemingly unbothered by the comment. "Where I decide to go in my personal time is my business."

Boomer wrestled out of the dark-haired young man's grip and forced a chuckle, moving to stand a few feet back so he could get a better look at both of his brothers. Butch still looked like his big, beefcake self and Brick still had that calm, aloof aura about him, yet something was different. Both of them were very much his brothers, both still alive and well, so what exactly...?

"So, how've things been since we left?"

Speak of the red-haired devil, Boomer looked at Brick, who had posed the question.

"Huh?"

"We left a while ago. How've you guys been holding up?"

"Oh." Boomer tried to shake off the feeling that something was very, _very_ wrong, but he couldn't. Something inside him was telling him to run, to get out of here as fast as he could, to get back to Bubbles where they would be safe.

But was this his intuition or just anxiety at seeing his brothers after so long?

"Hello? Earth to Boomer?" Butch waved a hand in front of the blonde's face.

"S-sorry." God, what was _wrong_ with him? His brothers made it all the way to Citysville and back, all in one piece, so he should be ecstatic! Why wasn't he happy? They weren't infected, so then what was making him feel sick inside? Was it because there were infected in the neighborhood, ready to pounce?

"It's fine. When you talk to someone as awesome as me, you're bound to go speechless," Butch joked. Boomer forced a smile even though his instincts were screaming at him to get out of whatever lion's den he'd unwittingly walked into.

 _Something is wrong, something is wrong, something is wrong, something is_ —

 _Stop; Brick asked you a question. Focus._

"Uh, sorry about that; to answer your question, we've been doing great, actually," he forced himself to say, despite the strong sense of unease churning in his gut. "We have plenty of food, we found a decent place to stay, the weather's been alright for the most part... The only thing that sucks is that Bubbles lost contact with her family, so there's that, but we're hanging in there."

He was NOT going to tell his brothers about her sprained ankle. If something was up, he wasn't going to unwittingly drag her down with him. If a world of shit was about to come down on him, he'd do his best to keep her safe even if it meant never getting to see her, laugh with her, kiss her again—

"Really?" Brick exchanged a look with Butch. "Her phone's not working?"

"It is, which is how she was able to get your message, but for some reason, she's been having problems with her inbox," the blonde explained, scuffing his shoe against the dirty tiled floor. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing up, but he fought to keep a calm facade. "Like, her sister tried to text her and she got one message, but the last one she sent won't load. I mean, I figured it was because we have crappy reception, but it might be an error with the app or something. Actually, Brick, since you're great with all this tech stuff, maybe you could take a look at it?"

Brick nodded, standing up. "Sure. Speaking of which, why isn't she with you?"

"Oh, uh..." He smiled weakly. "She figured she'd hold the fort down. You know, make sure everything is ship-shape when we get back."

"So you left her by herself when I asked you two to stay together?"

 _Yes, and I'm glad I did. At least I know she's safe._

"No, we actually agreed it was safer for her to stay behind. There's no infected where we're staying."

Brick raised an eyebrow. "And where exactly are you staying?"

Boomer tensed. "Uh... Well, we're actually camping in the woods. I don't know the exact location, but we know the woods are safe; we're in the middle of scenic nowhere, honestly."

That wasn't a complete lie, but vague enough to cover his ass and keep Bubbles' location secret in case something really _wasn't_ right, and Boomer had a bad feeling that his instincts were telling the truth.

Butch and Brick exchanged a glance before they both gave a curt nod as a form of some unspoken agreement.

"Alright, Boomer. Lead the way."

They made it to the living room when the blonde suddenly felt nauseous at the idea of his brothers following him.

"Oh, w-well actually," he stalled, trying to think of some kind of excuse as to why they couldn't leave just yet. "Before we go, I was just wondering, what kinds of weapons did you guys get?"

"Handguns actually," Butch replied, patting his backpack. "We managed to find, like, five or six and a few boxes of ammo, so we should be good until we reach the evacuation zone."

Disappointment gnawed at Boomer; he'd been hoping they found something like shotguns, but something was better than nothing, and at least there were enough guns for each of them to protect themselves.

"Oh, okay. And I'm just curious, but how bad are the infected here?"

"Not too bad, actually." Brick smiled. "Why?"

The blonde felt his mouth go dry. Why was his brother smiling? And why was that a big fat lie, considering the number of infected had increased since his brothers' departure?

 _Something is really wrong..._

"Well, when Bubbles and I left, they were in the neighborhood. There were a lot of them running around, even during the.."

Suddenly, the universe shifted. Boomer looked at his brothers, _really_ looked at them, and he realized that something truly _was_ wrong. His instincts hadn't been lying at all; they'd been right on the money as they always were, but Boomer didn't want to believe what was right in front of him.

Butch and Brick were paler than he'd ever known human beings to look, but they looked inhumanly beautiful, as if they'd just stepped out of a magazine. Their complexion was flawless, lacking any scars or scrapes from when they'd lived in Citysville. Brick still had freckles dotting the bridge of his nose but it looked _perfect._

 _Everything_ about his brothers looked painfully perfect, to the point where Boomer could sense that something wasn't quite right. No one looked like that, not even airbrushed models in advertisements. And the icing on the creepy cake was the eyes... The eyes always told the truth.

Brick's eyes were still that strange maroon-brown and Butch's were still a plain green color, but now their gazes held a certain predatory look to them, like they were hunters regarding their prey carefully. Brick's expression only ever held indifference or slight amusement; Butch's emotions were always written all over his face, but Boomer would never use the term 'predator' to describe either of his siblings before. Brick could be, well, a grade-A jerk when he wanted to be and Butch had his moments where he could be an ass, but they weren't _dangerous._

Butch made a face. "You gonna stand there and stare at us this whole time, or are we gonna get back to your little girlfriend?"

Boomer felt like he was going to vomit.

"Sorry, I guess I spaced out." That was a lie but Boomer was still trying to process all this new information. He turned and led them outside into the summer sun, where the ninety-degree weather practically smacked them in the face, only further solidifying the fact that Butch's skin should not have been as cold as it was.

Boomer felt himself stop walking, his expression stricken as everything slowly began to set in.

 _No... It can't be, it just can't..._

"What's the matter, Boomer? Why did you stop walking?"

The blonde stiffened at the question because it wasn't _exactly_ a question.

Brick and Butch knew.

They _knew_ he could sense something was up.

 _Even their voices sound wrong..._

Boomer lifted a hand to his mouth, hoping he didn't actually throw up.

How could he have been so stupid to ignore all the signs? If he could rewind time, he would've walked right out of that house right then and there as soon as he caught sight of Butch. He would've been miles away from here, safely in the tunnels, on his way back to Bubbles. Then they'd pack everything they could carry and get out of the campgrounds, move on and try to find one of the evacuation zones themselves.

But that thought stung... Even if his brothers were infected, could he really leave them behind?

At his youngest brother's silence, Brick's expression grew almost sad but Butch's remained slightly smug, like he knew something his brother didn't and couldn't wait to enlighten him.

"Finally figured it out, huh, little bro?"

Boomer swallowed thickly, turning around to face the two young men watching him carefully. "Figured out what?"

Butch grinned, which wasn't an impressive feat by itself because he usually wore a grin or smirk, but when his canines extended, the feeling of dread in Boomer's stomach reached a crescendo. The only time he'd ever seen sharp canines—fangs?—such as the ones his brother currently sported were when the infected were chasing him and... And...

Boomer took a tentative step back. Yup, the evidence had been right in front of him this whole time. The sickly tint to their skin, the weird way they behaved, the sharp teeth, the ice-cold body temperature that Butch possessed...

Were there even any weapons at all? Had this merely been a trap to lure Bubbles and Boomer in?

The blonde shook his head, despair momentarily replacing the fear and dread. "No... Y-you guys were the best of the best..."

"We still are." Brick spoke up this time, watching sadly as Boomer took yet another step backward. "We're still your brothers. We're still family."

"No." Boomer wanted to cry. "No, Brick, everything's changed now. Oh my God... H-how did...?"

"It's a long story, kiddo, and we don't have much time at the moment." Butch shoved his hands into his pockets, his expression becoming unreadable. "There's a lot to be done in this world, now that we've changed."

"What are you talking about?" For once in Boomer Jojo's life, he was completely serious, his tone colored by somberness and utter fear.

"That infection wasn't an infection at all," Brick explained. "It was an improvement. We're so much more than what we were, Boomer; we're stronger, faster, _better._ "

Butch didn't even make a "that's what she said" joke, which only further proved to Boomer that his brothers were no longer themselves.

"Better, how?" he demanded, adrenaline beginning to pump through his system. "Don't you remember Bonsai Gardens, City Hall? How is that _better_? How is murdering innocent people better?!"

"We weren't the ones who did that," Brick pointed out, but Boomer stomped his foot angrily.

"It doesn't matter! You've become the very _thing_ that did that, and you think it's better? Have you lost your fucking _mind_?!"

"Boomer, you don't understand—"

"You're right, and I don't _want_ to understand! How could you?" He fought the tears that welled up in his eyes. "How could you defend this... This... Whatever you are now? How could you defend becoming a killing machine?"

This was worse than never having his brothers come back and forever wondering what became of the last two members of his family. At least ignorance granted him the option to think his brothers died valiantly; maybe then he could convince himself they died trying to save someone's life, or maybe they died in a blaze of glory, taking down a bunch of infected with them.

But this? The two young men standing before him were not Brick and Butch; they were cheap imitations, resembling the older Jojo brothers in appearance only.

The Brick and Butch he knew were _gone_.

"We didn't exactly choose this," Brick said. "We were trying to get weapons, but... We never made it."

"We were on the border between Citysville and Townsville," Butch chimed in, stepping forward. In the midday light, he and Brick looked virtually _perfect._ How could these creatures, these enemies of life itself, be blessed with such beauty? They seemed to be the ultimate predator, strangely blessed with all kinds of gifts to lure in unsuspecting prey. "We were surrounded on every side, there was no way we would've been able to get out alive. Citysville is so much worse than Townsville; we were stupid to think it'd be a good idea to go there. It was a suicide mission."

"It only hurt at first," Brick continued. "The venom always hurts because it literally kills muscle tissue, but once you get past it, once you awaken... You're so much stronger and you feel more alive than you ever have. We went down fighting but I don't remember what we were fighting for; getting turned was a blessing. We should've let ourselves get turned sooner."

"You were fighting to remain human!" Boomer growled. "And now you're not human anymore! Now you're murderers, just like every other infected!"

"We haven't killed anyone, Boomer, and neither will you."

All frustration evaporated from the youngest Jojo brother. "What do you mean?"

"We want you to join us."

Boomer's eyes hardened stubbornly. "I'll never join you."

"Well, kiddo, we didn't ask if you would. We've already decided."

"You'll have to fight me, then, because I'm not willingly going to let you turn me."

Butch chuckled humorlessly and lowered his gaze to the ground for a moment before looking back up at his younger brother. Boomer was shocked to see his eyes were no longer a natural green color; they were now intensely green, almost as if he'd put in contact lenses. Boomer was even more horrified to watch as Brick's irises changed from their usual maroon-brown to a blazing, aggravated red, practically glowing in the summer sunshine.

"Oh my god," Boomer whispered. "Your _eyes_... What the hell _are_ you? W-what have you guys become?"

Brick stepped forward, holding out a hand. "See for yourself, Boomer. It's time you become like us."

The blonde shook his head, taking another step back. A sharp hiss pierced the air and he whirled on his heel, the surprised yelp caught in his throat when he realized he was surrounded. He was sandwiched between his brothers, standing just a few feet away, and crowds of Townsville's former residents. Boomer looked at the array of people he'd once considered his neighbors, decent people with happy-go-lucky attitudes and generous, kind hearts. Some were like Brick and Butch, with intense eyes, impossible beauty, and a colorless complexion. Others were... Others appeared to still be _human_. There were even some infected with their arms protectively wound around humans.

Boomer was at a loss. There were so many infected, but there were also so many _humans_. Humans that looked healthy, content even... Why weren't the humans afraid, and why weren't the infected tearing into the humans?

 _What on earth is going on here?!_

He looked at each and every face, some of them watching him with tired eyes, others with curiosity swirling in their intense, almost hypnotic gazes. However, enough people regarded him with the same amount of kindness as when he and his family had just moved to Townsville that it made him feel sick inside... because he truly couldn't wrap his head around what all of this could possibly mean.

The bloodshed and chaos that had permanently stained Bonsai Gardens and City Hall with the blood of the innocent... Did that mean nothing? Why were these humans seemingly compliant with these creatures? And why did these creatures appear to be somewhat human again?

"I don't understand..." he admitted, reaching his hands up to tug at his hair. "I don't understand any of this. It doesn't make sense."

Butch's cold hand clamped down onto Boomer's shoulder, sharp claw-like fingernails digging painfully into his skin. "It will, kiddo, we promise it will. After you turn, you'll understand everything."

Boomer tried to shrug the hand off but it held firm, keeping him in place. The fearful chills that had been creeping up and down his spine gave way to anger, and Boomer yanked his shoulder free and spun on his heel, reaching back to grab the baseball bat that was slung across his back like a sword in a scabbard. He gripped it as if ready to hit a home run, to which both of his brothers shared an amused glance.

"Really, Boomer?" Brick asked. "You really think you stand a chance against us?"

"You're not turning me! Stay away from me!"

"Sorry, little bro, but we weren't the ones who decided this. We're just following orders."

"What do you mean, you're just following orders? Who the fuck is behind all of this?" Boomer roared, his cheeks growing pink with raw fury. "Do I really have to remind you what happened at Bonsai Gardens, at City Hall? All those innocent people with families, feelings, _lives_? Who the hell fucked all of this up?!"

Butch and Brick frowned, but to the redhead's credit, he offered a single answer.

"I think you can probably guess who was behind the infection getting out."

Boomer narrowed his eyes. "What the hell are you talking about? I don't know _anyone_ who would be okay with all of this madness!"

Brick smiled. "Mojo worked quite a few night shifts in his day, didn't he? Did you ever think maybe he was working on something huge, something that would be considered the crown jewel of his career?"

All color drained from the blonde's face, his eyes growing wide with horror at the realization that his father, the very man who, though he could be strict, had loved him and always tried to be there for his boys, always tried to make time for his small family no matter how much work he had to get done... His father was the one responsible for all of the bloodthirsty creatures that had destroyed so much within such a short span of time.

"No..." he whispered, his expression crestfallen. "No, you're lying. You have to be. Mojo _died_ , we _watched_ him die."

"Mojo _let_ himself get bitten," Brick explained. "Why do you think he didn't attack you? Why would he attack his own son? Boomer, don't you see? He was the first to evolve, the first to get bitten and not operate solely instincts."

"He attacked Butch, you idiot!" Boomer argued. "Don't you remember? He had Butch against the wall _by the throat!_ Yeah, he didn't attack me, but he attacked _one_ of his sons!"

"Boomer, he was practically 'patient zero' for this more evolved strain," Butch piped up. "And besides, when you first turn, things are a little..." He moved his hand in a circular motion, mirroring the universal gesture for 'get on with it.' "You're still getting used to your new heightened instincts, and then there's the thirst... It depends on the person and how much venom gets injected, and—"

Boomer pointed a shaky finger at his brothers. "Your logic is flawed and you know it. Stop bullshitting me and face it; Mojo fucked up by messing with something he shouldn't have. I don't know what he was doing in the labs, but he destroyed the world. Society as we know it has been forever changed, so many lives were lost, and it's _all his fault!_ I don't _care_ how great this stupid virus, or whatever it is made you; at the end of the day, you're still monsters!"

Brick's eyes hardened, anger swirling in his hypnotic red gaze. "Don't talk about Mojo like that. He didn't destroy the world."

"Oh yeah? I'm sorry; did you SEE City Hall?! And just how many people have _you_ killed to survive, huh? How many people has dear old _Dad_ killed?"

"Little bro, you'd better stop talking," Butch warned.

 _Or what,_ Boomer wanted to retort, _you'll bite me?_

In fact, he opened his mouth to voice his thoughts, to continue needling at the monsters that were currently masquerading as his brothers, but he noticed a blonde girl standing in the crowd of infected mixed with humans. She certainly wasn't Bubbles, but her golden hair reminded him that he needed to keep his head. He closed his mouth with a soft, audible snap, glancing down at the friendship bracelet still encircling his wrist, Bubbles' name spelled out against the pretty blue beads.

 _That's right... Bubbles is still out there. My brothers may be gone, but she's still worth staying alive for._ _I have to make it back to her; I promised._

Out of his peripheral vision, he scanned the crowds of people. The crowd seemed to be keeping a respectable amount of space from Brick and Butch, almost as if the two young men held some kind of influence over them, but the number of infected still outnumbered the amount of humans. And the humans looked like they were okay standing side-by-side with the infected, so if Boomer fought with his brothers or tried to make a run for it, it probably wasn't completely wrong to assume he'd be on his own without any kind of help.

Shifting his gaze back to his brothers, Boomer understood that Butch could crush him easily if he wanted to, even as a human, and although Brick was lean, he hit _hard_. There was no way he would be able to get out of this unbitten. There were too many infected to run from and his brothers were probably a hundred-times stronger and faster than they were as humans. It would be a miracle if he made it ten feet without getting tackled to the ground by Butch.

Bubbles' pretty face remained at the front of his thoughts. He had to keep his emotions in check so he could stay alive and get back to her. What good was arguing doing, anyhow? He was making valid points, but they were falling on deaf ears. Surely his brothers weren't so far gone that they were past bargaining? If any sort of humanity remained within them, could he somehow appeal to it?

"Okay." He swallowed thickly, making sure to keep his tone calm and neutral. "Alright. I have a question."

Brick and Butch exchanged a glance with each other before returning their attention to him.

"Shoot, kid."

"What would happen if you guys let me go?"

Surprise colored both of their expressions.

"Let you go?"

"I don't want to be turned, and if I'm being totally honest, I don't want to fight you guys." Boomer carefully lowered his bat but kept a firm grip on the handle. "Just... What if you let me go, let me remain human? What if you let me walk away, right now? I'm asking you to please, at least _consider_ letting me go. If not for anything else, then as one last favor."

Before his brothers could argue, he added, "You guys didn't have a choice in getting turned, but you have a choice to spare me. I know you say this infection is great and everything but when you were human, there was a reason you avoided it. Well, I'm asking as your little brother; let me walk away. Allow me this choice. _Please_."

Brick, at least, had the decency to look torn.

"We can't."

"Why?"

"Why would you want to stay human when you could have so much more?" Butch interjected. "You'll understand better when you actually experience what this new life is like. Trust me, you're still yourself, but you're _better_. You can hear everything, see much more clearly; life is improved."

He was like a broken record, trying to talk up this new lifestyle as if the infected _didn't_ go around attacking innocent people.

"But how is life improved when you _live_ off of taking lives?" Boomer protested. "How is that any kind of improvement from the life we lived before, when we would screw each other over just to try to get to some kind of non-existent top level of society?"

"We don't have to kill to survive," Brick explained, moving forward. "We can just drink a little bit of blood and—"

A fearful gleam entered Boomer's eyes, pure adrenaline and anguish rushing through his system as he gripped his bat tighter.

" _Don't._ Please. Don't come any closer."

Brick held up his hands in the universal 'calm down' gesture and regarded his youngest brother with pity, but obliged him regardless.

"Boomer, I promise, you'll still be _you,_ " he assured. "The first few days will be a little crazy but after that, everything will be okay. You don't have to kill anyone. If you let us bite you, we'll all be a family again and you'll see."

"I'm sorry," Boomer choked out. "I don't know why you guys want to turn me and I really don't _want_ to know why, but I can't let you turn me. I _won't_."

 _I have someone waiting for me, someone very special who deserves the world. I promised her I'd get back to her._

Butch frowned. "You're really gonna make us fight you, huh?"

"I'm not making you do anything, but I'm not gonna stand here and let you bite me. I refuse to become like you. After everything I've seen, I don't want the kind of life this infection will create."

His dark-haired brother sighed, shaking his head. "Have it your way, little bro. Just know we tried reasoning with you."

"Yeah, I know. I tried reasoning with you, too."

As his brothers moved into more of a hostile stance and began to circle him, preparing to fight, Boomer's thoughts flashed to Bubbles again. He'd promised her he would get back to her no matter what and he intended to keep that promise. She was all he had left and he'd be damned if he didn't make good on his word.

 _I'll come back to you,_ he vowed, bringing his baseball bat up as if getting ready to hit a homerun. _No matter what's against me, I'll come back to you in one piece and we'll make it out of this alive._

 _I promise._

Pity flickered in Brick's eyes. "Last chance, Boomer. Become like us or you've forced our hand."

"My answer still stands: no."

"Come on, think this through. What about Bubbles?" Bringing up Boomer's girlfriend was a low blow. "If she could have a better life, wouldn't you want that for her? Wouldn't she want that for _you?_ "

"Surviving on blood and being a monster is not the life I would want for her, and Bubbles would want me to stay human because she knows being human is better than anything this infection could make us into."

A smirk lit up Butch's features. "Don't worry, Boomer; right after we turn you, we can turn Bubbles too so she can join her sisters."

Shock colored Boomer's face. "Her sisters? What do you—"

"We didn't kill them, if that's what you're wondering," Brick supplied, shooting Butch a look. "Blossom and Buttercup will be waking up soon."

But that would mean Brick and Butch had... How was that possible? How could they have known that Blossom and Buttercup were Bubbles' sisters, unless the girls explicitly told them? And wait, if his brothers had gone after Blossom and Buttercup, wouldn't either of them have tried to warn Bubbles? Wouldn't they have tried to text her or something—

 _Oh my_ _God._

 _That_ was the text that wouldn't load! That was the last text Buttercup had sent, _that_ was Buttercup's warning!

"Bubbles' phone hasn't been working," Boomer whispered, trying to come to terms with this new tidbit of information. Everything was beginning to fall into place. "Buttercup was trying to warn her, to warn _us,_ b-but her phone hasn't been working, the message would always come up blank, or the app would crash or—"

"It's very easy to mess with text messages if you know what you're doing," Brick piped up. He grinned, revealing his own set of fangs. "Like I said earlier, when you become like us, you'll understand. It was only right that we turned them, since they were meant for us."

Boomer felt sick. Not only had his brothers taken Bubbles' sisters from her, they'd snatched away Buttercup's last message to Bubbles. That had been Buttercup's final attempt to say, 'I love you' or a last-ditch effort at a warning to try to keep her sister safe. Brick and Butch claimed they weren't monsters, but they really were.

And to think that Boomer and Bubbles had left a note at their homes to ensure his brothers—and, if they were lucky, her family—could find them and keep in contact. To be fair, hindsight was always 20/20, but it had all been for naught.

"And once you're like us, we'll turn Bubbles too, if she's meant to be yours," Butch added and, although he'd implied that earlier, it finally cemented in Boomer's brain that _they were going to go after Bubbles._

The look he gave Butch was almost murderous.

"Like _hell_ you will!"

They would never get to Bubbles, not if he could help it. Even if it cost him his life, he'd do everything in his power to keep her safe, to keep her from becoming a monster.

Boomer readied his bat and that's when Brick and Butch charged forward with a loud, animalistic roar, fangs bared, their perfectly-handsome faces contorting with primal rage while black spidery veins appeared around their narrowed eyes. Boomer let out an enraged cry of his own while swinging his bat forward as hard as he could, the battle just beginning.

* * *

In a little cabin miles away from the outskirts of what used to be beloved, happy Townsville, Bubbles Utonium fiddled with her friendship bracelet, her fingers lingering over the beads that spelled out 'Boomer.' She smiled sadly at the little trinket and wondered when he'd return, hoping he and his brothers were doing okay. She wished she could be with him, but she trusted Boomer's promise all the same; before she knew it, he _would_ be back and she'd be able to pepper his face with kisses, she'd welcome his brothers to their little safe haven with open arms, and they'd all somehow find their way to an evacuation zone where things would start looking up.

And if luck was truly on their side, she'd get to see her sisters and her father alive and well again.

Yeah... This little moment of silence would only be for now.

Everything only ever lasted for a little while, after all.

* * *

 **Anyone ever see that PPG episode "Bubble Boy" where Bubbles spends the entire day masquerading as Boomer? Remember when she spelled out "flowers are pretty... dumb" in curly graffiti lettering and got crap from Brick because she supposedly misspelled "dumb" and Brick purposely emphasizes the b-sound to make it seem like *she's* the idiot?**

 **Yeah. That's where the super secret Jojo code word comes in. Yay for little easter eggs ;P**

 **Special shout-out to my bud A.B. for helping me brainstorm when I got stuck. You know who you are and you're awesome!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Been a while, huh? How is everyone doing?**

 **To Amber rose: thank you! :)**

 **To Guest: thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying the story! I was intending for it to be semi-thriller/horror, so to hear it kept you on the edge of your seat makes me happy, haha :D**

 **To Gen X Solaris: I'm honored you think so! Thank you so much ^_^**

 **To all who review: thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think about my story. It's such a pleasure to write this and it makes me so happy to hear that you guys are enjoying it. More chapters to come soon! God bless & happy reading! xx**

* * *

 **.: 20 :.**

On day one of not having Boomer with her, Bubbles didn't sleep too well knowing the goofy blonde wasn't next to her. She'd grown used to his presence, to hearing his soft snores beside her, and without him there... It felt weird.

After he'd left, Bubbles passed the time by going through some of the books in the office. It was a little difficult to hobble her way over to the bookshelf, but luckily it wasn't too far. Some of the survival books were great and she had nothing against flipping through them, but right now she needed fiction to pass the time. The sooner she could distract herself, the faster time would pass and the sooner Boomer and his brothers would arrive.

She searched through the desk in the front room and found a few decent-sized fiction books that a previous employee had left behind, so for the first few hours, Bubbles spent her time getting lost in one of them, which was, ironically, a book centering around a zombie apocalypse. It wasn't an easy read since some parts made her feel uneasy (after all, her reality was pretty much the same story, wasn't it?) but it was interesting enough that she got so into the story that she just barely realized it was getting dark outside. She didn't want to strain her eyes any more than she already was, so she forced herself to put the book down and try to get some rest, all the while tuning in to her surroundings for any strange noises that might indicate an infected had wandered into the campgrounds.

Bubbles spent the entire night dozing on and off. By the time dawn arrived, she was excited; Boomer and his brothers were probably on their way back and they'd be there by afternoon, maybe even early evening.

She continued passing the time by finishing the zombie book, then moved onto the romance novel. She kept an ear out for Boomer's voice, hoping she'd hear it soon, and all the while she kept off her ankle to let it heal. The ugly purple blotch that appeared after she sprained it was slowly fading; it wasn't as painful to put weight on it as it was yesterday, but she still kept off it to ensure it healed quickly and properly.

The afternoon came and went. Early evening arrived, then gave way to the uncertain darkness of night.

Bubbles could feel a sliver of worry start to gnaw at her, but she refused to give into it. Boomer had said a day _or_ two, didn't he? Maybe he'd underestimated how many infected there actually were and was stranded somewhere. With how many infected had been there prior to their departure from Townsville, Bubbles wouldn't be surprised if the entire neighborhood was completely swarmed by now. It was wishful thinking on her part that he'd be able to zip in and out of the neighborhood as if there weren't monstrosities waiting to pounce.

Her romance novel forgotten, her thoughts shifted to the infected. Their behaviors were inconsistent from what she'd seen. When she first met Boomer, he'd told her they hated sunlight, yet the infected didn't seem to have any issues traipsing around Townsville in the daytime. Boomer also said they hated groups of people and would generally steer clear of more than one person, yet the infected had had no problem chasing Bubbles and Boomer out of his house and through the neighborhood.

While they were clearly operating on some kind of primal instincts, they also seemed to be... Evolving? That one evening spent in Boomer's house, when Bubbles had been on watch and noticed some of the infected sitting and rocking back and forth... What was that about? Why would they be rocking themselves like that, as if something truly emotionally distressing had happened to them?

And why were they able to move around in the sunlight? Bubbles didn't think Boomer and his brothers would lie about that detail so how were they able to evolve? She wasn't good at science—that was Blossom and Professor Utonium's forte—but even she knew that it was impossible for mutations to occur within days... Or was it?

What exactly did they subsist on, anyway? Her memory of stumbling upon City Hall was perfect, unfortunately, and the mangled bodies, though torn up, didn't appear to be eaten or bit into; at least not bit into as if someone had suddenly craved human flesh. Did they survive on blood alone? If that was the case, then why leave splatters of blood all over the city? And if they were cannibalistic in nature, why would they leave bodies strewn about instead of consuming them?

...Well, there went her appetite. Bubbles' stomach churned with nausea and she forced herself to stop going down that train of thought, instead deciding to come to the simple conclusion that nothing made sense about these creatures. They seemed to be walking contradictions, only aggressive for the sake of aggression itself.

The blonde looked out the window at the dark sky, stars twinkling eagerly against endless indigo. She wondered if maybe Brick and Butch had figured out anything new about the infected since they'd been right in the line of fire. Maybe once they got to the evacuation zone, they'd have useful information for the military and they could take back their world. Everything could go back to semi-normalcy; Bubbles could go back to college, Blossom and Buttercup and the Professor would be there with her, even Boomer and his brothers... Reality seemed to blur as unconsciousness slowly pulled her into its depths.

She dozed off and the night passed seamlessly.

* * *

Day three came and went. Bubbles slowly began to feel more worry and anxiety picking at her thoughts. She was trying to stay positive and optimistic about Boomer returning, but it was getting more difficult to do so when she was really starting to feel concerned. She didn't like being by herself and, although the camp was mostly safe and isolated from the rest of the world (as far as she knew), it was only a matter of time before something stumbled into these woods. Her ankle was getting better with each day she stayed off it, but eventually she might have to leave. She didn't like that thought at all; what if she had to run before Boomer got back? What would happen if he _did_ manage to make it back only to find an empty cabin and no Bubbles? He'd think she abandoned him, or worse, that something had happened to her.

The thought of Boomer making it back to camp only to find no one and nothing was heartbreaking and nearly brought her to tears.

She would've spent the day reading but she was sick of poring over literature when half of her heart was out there somewhere, potentially stranded or worse. She wished she could've gone with him.

She spent much of the fourth day outside, as her ankle felt alright enough to put a little weight on it. She didn't do anything strenuous, of course; she merely sat in one of the wicker chairs outside the office cabin and basked in the sunlight that streamed down through the treetops. It wasn't too bad out; the humidity was relatively low and it felt about eighty degrees outside, so it was a pleasantly-warm day with nary a cloud to be seen.

Bubbles didn't like to think about it, but she had to have some kind of backup plan in case Boomer didn't return. Where would she go and how would she manage to get there without being caught by an infected? She could be stealthy when the situation called for it, and a positive was that her shoes were light and didn't make any sounds, but the biggest question was location.

Boomer had initially said the rest of the world was dealing with infected, but no one really knew what was going on thanks to the radio towers being out of commission. Bubbles' phone died the day Boomer left, so checking to see if anything was updating was no longer an option.

Worst case scenario, if she had to leave, would it be safe to leave the only place she'd ever lived? Granted, this camp was miles from Townsville (and a decent distance away from the tunnels as well; it was pretty well-hidden, a perfect vacation spot actually), but Bubbles was only familiar with the Pokey Oaks region. What if she encountered hostile human beings? What if she ran into hordes of infected? She'd have no idea where to go or where she would end up. The only place she knew a little bit about was Citysville, and that wasn't even an option at this point.

...It was times like these that she wished her sisters were here. Blossom was good at brainstorming and Buttercup was good at poking holes in any plans they came up with because if Buttercup could figure out ways to foil a plan, so could the opposing party; it helped to ensure all their bases were covered.

The biggest problem was that Bubbles had no clue where the other evacuation zones were, or if any of them were even still around for that matter. Who knows what was going on with the rest of the world? For all she knew, _every_ zone had been overrun and there was no chance of safety anywhere. Maybe humanity was screwed and she was one of a select few still alive and kicking.

And if she did have to go toe-to-toe with an infected, how would she defend herself? She wasn't violent by nature, so how would she fight off a creature that was probably ten-times stronger than her? It was easy to fight for someone else, like if Boomer required her assistance in kicking infected butt, but for herself it was a bit harder to rationalize hurting something, even if that "something" was trying to hurt her.

How the hell was she going to survive out there if she did end up leaving?

It was day five when Bubbles began to lose hope.

Much like her sisters had initially told her the rescue team would only take a few days, Boomer had said he'd return within a day or two at the most. She knew it was possible that something had happened to prevent him from returning on-time—she refused to consider that something had happened to him—but Boomer was quick and could think on his feet even in a bad situation. He'd find a way to get himself to safety and, eventually, back to her.

...Wouldn't he?

Why was he taking so long? _Had_ something happened, and what of his brothers? He was supposed to be meeting them back at his house which shouldn't have been a problem since the boys found weapons, so why wasn't he back by now? What was the hold-up?

Had he forgotten about her? If so, how do you forget about a human being you supposedly care about?

Or worse, had he and his brothers decided to ditch her just to save themselves time and trouble?

She began to feel betrayed when day six came.

Thoughts of Boomer's sweet nature began to distort until Bubbles' memories of the funny blonde became something to criticize. She loved him, but... He was clearly loyal to his brothers, which she understood, but what if he'd gone off with them? What if, after reuniting with them, they really _had_ decided to ditch Bubbles in favor of saving themselves?

That would explain why Boomer took one last look at the campgrounds before he left. Maybe he was trying to memorize everything because it was the last time he'd ever have to be there and he was just trying to sear his time with Bubbles into his memory. Maybe when he got to his brothers, he'd convinced them that something had happened to Bubbles and that they should move on without her. It didn't help that she _would_ be considered a burden what with her sprained ankle...

Bubbles struggled with that thought because she _knew_ it couldn't be true. Boomer cared for her, he said he _loved_ her! He wouldn't have locked her away in a mudroom only to practically sacrifice himself if he didn't care enough about her to save her life... Okay, so maybe that sounded a little funny even to her, but Boomer _did_ love her. He didn't seem to be the type to lie about that sort of thing and she was pretty sure that guys like Boomer didn't just go around saying "I love you" without meaning it.

So then, if all the cards pointed to him genuinely loving her and caring about her... why wasn't he coming back?

She felt guilty for thinking such treacherous thoughts, for wondering if he'd ever do something so cruel as to leave her behind, and she felt even worse at the thought that something _had_ happened to him to prevent him from getting back to her... Or even from getting to his brothers.

What if an infected caught him? What if he was bitten, what if he was _dead_? And if something _had_ happened—though she convinced herself that no, Boomer was too smart, too fast to let anything happen to himself—how _dare_ she think about whether or not he'd betrayed her. How dare she think so poorly of the one person that decided to stick with her despite her initial coldness towards him.

Did she even deserve someone like Boomer? Bubbles was sweet and generally open to all who wanted to know her, but she'd been a bitch to him when she'd first met him, hadn't she? Why _would_ he want to come back to someone like her, someone who spent all their time worrying, complaining, and crying? She was stupid for thinking he'd ever liked her.

Bubbles spent a good chunk of that night trying not to cry (and failing miserably). It hurt her deeply to think that in one fell swoop, she'd lost her family and now Boomer, and maybe she deserved it. Maybe she didn't deserve to have someone as bright and cheerful as Boomer Jojo be in her miserable little life.

Maybe she didn't deserve anyone at all.

...And maybe she didn't deserve to sit there feeling sorry for herself. It was day seven when Bubbles broke out of the downward spiral of her thoughts and began to consider setting out for Boomer's house to see what was going on.

She knew it might be a suicide mission; after all, Boomer didn't strike her as the type to renege on his promises unless something physically prevented him from keeping his word, so if he wasn't returning, something had to have happened. She might very well be walking into a trap; whoever or whatever had incapacitated Boomer might do the same to her, but wasn't it worth it to ensure Boomer was alright?

Okay, so maybe that was a stupid plan. If Boomer had been trapped and, well... If _something_ had happened to him, would it really be a good idea to set herself up for the same fate? He would've died in vain if she ended up getting herself killed.

Bubbles chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. Now that she could walk again, maybe it might be a good idea to consider getting to one of the evacuation zones on her own. She hated the thought of leaving the campsite, especially when Boomer might arrive any day now with his brothers in tow, but she also had to think about herself. If she stayed here at the campgrounds, eventually she would run out of food and be forced to go out in search of more. Worse yet, there was always the possibility that infected would discover this place and she'd _really_ have no choice but to leave.

It bothered her to think about what could happen if she left. What if, after leaving to find an evacuation zone herself, Boomer and his brothers showed up to an empty campground? She could see the disappointment and hurt on Boomer's face in her mind's eye, and it tugged at her heartstrings. She hated the thought of anyone being left all by themselves, but if Boomer never came back...

On day eight, Bubbles had everything that she'd need packed and ready to go. Her ankle felt as good as new and she hefted her backpack onto her shoulders. She wanted to depart that very day, but something in her gut told her to wait just a little longer, if nothing else then for Boomer's sake. Give him one more day to make an appearance and if he didn't, well... She'd find someplace safe and then try to find him. She'd find out what happened to him even if it killed her.

After all, what good was it to remain the sole survivor when everyone you know and love are probably dead or monstrous?

She was supposed to leave on day nine but it was day nine when everything came crashing down.

* * *

Bubbles was halfway through a can of pears, savoring the sweet juice and thinking of the journey to come, when it happened. She'd been lifting a spoonful to her lips when a few quick knocks broke through the quiet of the room like thunder. This particular morning had seemed ominous, as if the little creatures of these woods knew Bubbles was about to embark on a foolish journey for the one person she'd come to care greatly for. She'd woken up to utter quiet, the only sounds greeting her ears being the few raindrops falling onto the tin roof from the trees above. A few spotty rain showers had passed over the camp through the night, leaving the outside world relatively wet, but it had succeeded in knocking down the humidity again.

The knock was almost... Urgent? No, not quite urgent, but it was definitely trying to get her attention. Or, well... Whoever was out there was trying to get _someone's_ attention. If luck was on her side, whoever was out there _didn't_ know that a small woman was staying all by herself in this particular cabin.

Bubbles set her makeshift breakfast down onto the desk and reached down to retrieve Buttercup's bat from where it lay. She crept towards the stained glass door, relieved that the frosted colors sort of helped to mask her appearance as she tiptoed towards the door.

Gripping the bat as if she were ready to hit a home run, Bubbles positioned herself next to it. The knock came again after a few heartbeats, more insistent than before, and she gripped the bat even tighter.

"Bubbles?"


	21. Chapter 21

**To Wild Blue Sonder: I'm sorry that my story messed you up, but at the same time, I'm really happy to hear that it left quite an impression on you! To hear that my writing has people on the edge of their seats is what I'm striving for ;) And thank you so much for your review!**

 **To Saweela: thank you! I hope to one day get it published, and I'm so honored that so many of my readers like this story enough that they'd buy it for their own literary collections. It means the world to me, and I'm so happy to hear you like this story! :D**

 **To Guest: thank you so much! I'm honored you like it that much ^_^**

 **To DeadMemez98: thank you! Love your username btw, haha**

 **To Little Otter: Thank you so much! I'm so happy you're enjoying the story ^_^ As for how long this story will be, I'm not sure honestly. Every chapter kind of writes itself; I'm still trying to figure out a few things, but I can say with complete honesty that I'm not going to give up on this story, I'm not going to drag it out, and I'm not going to end it abruptly.**

 **Sooo a bit of an update. I'm finally done with school! I should have more time to dedicate to this story now, but I can't promise that updates will be any faster. I did want to let you guys know, though, that when or if I do get this story published as an original work, there will be a few major changes. I found some stuff that needs tweaking, but it'll still be the same story, just with some polished edges, y'know? And if I do get it published, I can let you guys know in case you'd like to read the original, polished version. Sound good or nah? Definitely let me know what you guys think!**

 **And thank you for being patient with me, I know updates have been hecka slow and I see that a few new folks have followed/favorited this story. Thank you guys!**

 **One last thank you to so many of my readers who review, and even the ones that quietly sit back and enjoy** — **I see you guys and I appreciate all of y'all!**

* * *

 **.: 21 :.**

The sound of the person's voice was all it took for the bat to drop from her hands, a metallic clanging noise echoing as it bounced off the floor once, rolling away from her feet with a final clunking sound. Bubbles' eyes widened and her mouth fell open, shock filling her as if someone had dumped ice-cold water over her.

"Boomer?"

"Holy shit," his voice came again, this time sounding relieved. "Bubbles, I'm so glad to hear your voice... Open up, please?"

She practically tore the doorknob off trying to get it open. As soon as the door swung open, she came face-to-face with the one blonde who had plagued her dreams for the past week. He looked as he always did, dressed in khaki shorts, a blue button-down shirt, and worn white sneakers that had seen better days, yet... He looked a little worse for wear. His button-down shirt was ripped up, practically in tatters, and his shorts were dirty, as if he'd been rolling around in mud. There were streaks of dirt, sweat, mud, and something else caked onto his legs and arms, his face not much better off; he smelled like body odor and something disgusting, like... garbage?

But despite all of this... Boomer was _alive!_ That was all that mattered.

Tears filled Bubbles' eyes and she threw herself into his arms, a strangled sob escaping her. Boomer held her tightly as she cried, peppering the crown of her head with kisses, tilting her face up so he could continue kissing her cheeks, nose, forehead, and finally, her lips.

They kissed as if they would never be able to do such a thing again. Boomer gripped her face hard, initiating kiss after kiss, while tears continued to run down Bubbles' cheeks as she fought to match his intensity.

When he finally pulled away to look at her, both of them panting for air, Bubbles was happy to see those same baby-blues staring back at her, filled with the same slivers of mischief and mirth as they always were. The only difference was that now they held a sort of weariness to them, as if Boomer had been through the ringer since departing from the campgrounds.

Bubbles leaned on her tip-toes to place one last soft kiss against the corner of his mouth, and he smiled, crushing her against his chest, his own eyes growing misty at how much he'd missed her, how happy he was to see her again. She wanted to speak, to yell at him for taking so long, to ask where he'd been and what had happened, to cry and tell him how much she loved him, missed him, needed him by her side, but all she could manage was a weak, croaky, "I missed you so much."

As he held her, he kissed her temple once more. "I missed you too, Bubbles, more than you know. I'm sorry I took so long. You don't know how happy I am to see you after—"

He sniffled, tears beginning to dribble down his cheeks, and he angrily tried to wipe them away, quickly winding his arms back around Bubbles' waist to keep her close. To have her here, to feel her, see her, breathe her in... She was the only one he had left now, and it was her that was keeping him from falling apart.

"Oh man, I-I'm so happy to see you a-after the shitstorm I just came from."

Bubbles looked up at him after his voice cracked, a teardrop landing on her cheek that wasn't her own. It was then that she realized Brick and Butch were not with him, and she frowned.

"What do you mean? What happened with..."

Her words trailed off as something in his eyes broke and Bubbles watched as the tears began to fall faster than he could wipe them away. "My brothers, uh... Th-they're not... They're not themselves a-anymore."

She stiffened at the realization that something _had_ happened to Boomer's brothers. Her brain was trying to process this new information, but it was difficult to realize that Brick and Butch, two perfectly capable young men with strength and cunning, had somehow fallen. She gently cupped his cheeks, her thumbs carefully wiping away the mix of grime and tears, those baby-blues of his conveying more emotion than he probably wanted to verbalize.

"How did... What do you mean they..." She blinked rapidly, unsure what to ask and whether or not she _should_ ask about the fate of the other Jojo brothers. Boomer was just barely keeping himself from falling apart; was it really fair for her to push him when he was already at an emotional breaking point?

"There weren't any weapons at all, they were just trying to get us to..." He paused, looking away before he shook his head. "Fuck, they almost _killed_ me! If I hadn't outrun them and hidden myself in a _dumpster_ for a whole fucking day..."

Bubbles was at a loss for how to reply to that.

"I... I just... I'm so happy to see you," he continued. It took him a moment to regain his bearings, and he managed to get a handle on his emotions so he could address the actual matter at hand. "But I also came here to warn you and help you get out of here."

His eyes met hers again, determination extinguishing the grief that had been clouding those baby-blues. "Brick and Butch are after me, and since you're with me, they'll be after you, too. We have to leave this place now, while we still have a head-start. We don't have much time, so we have to leave."

Bubbles didn't like the sound of that. She cocked her head to the side curiously.

"How much of a head-start do we have? Do they know where we are?"

"Not specifically," he replied. "And we're pretty well ahead of them right now, but we have to keep moving. Besides, I think I might have a clue as to where an evac zone is."

He took her hand and led her into the office building, gesturing for her to sit down as he took a seat across from her. Retrieving a map from his backpack, he smoothed the wrinkled paper out onto the table and pointed to a faded red X marking.

"That's Townsville," he explained. "I think we're located a mile away from the tunnels."

His finger moved up north, to where a big, more recent-looking X lay.

"That's where we need to go. It's about twenty miles from here, but I think if we move our asses, we should be able to get there within a few days."

"Wait," she held up a hand, her mind spinning with all this new information. "Hold on a moment. How do you know all of this? What exactly happened between you and your brothers?"

A haunted, hurt look flashed in Boomer's eyes and Bubbles opened her mouth to apologize, to take back her question, but he swallowed the emotional lump that had formed in his throat, preparing to speak.

"They got turned," he began, his voice shaky. "Um... S-so I emerged from the tunnels and I went to go see them at our house, y'know, because that's where they said to meet them. When I got there, something didn't seem right, but I figured, 'hey, what could be wrong? Brick and Butch are here, they're alive,' and so I went in and started talking to them, but... They didn't look right, Bubbles, and they weren't acting like themselves. Something was wrong."

Her gut sank with dread.

"They were acting like they knew something I didn't, and things only got worse when we went outside."

He worried his bottom lip, eyebrows knitting together as he lost himself in the memory. Bubbles reached over to take his hand in hers, and he offered a small squeeze as thanks.

"They wanted to turn me, but I said no, and then... Fucking hell, Bubbles, they were so fast and _strong_! Butch punched me in the stomach at one point, and it hurt so bad, I thought he was going to break me in half with how strong he was. I don't know how I managed to outrun them, but I did; I had to hide in a dumpster, and then your family's basement for three whole days because Brick had a bunch of infected patrolling _everywhere_. I don't know how, but somehow Brick and Butch have power over those things and it's fucking _scary_."

"What about the tunnels?" she asked. "Did he somehow know they were down there?"

"No, thank God, but when I tried exiting them, I saw a few infected lurking around the woods. They seemed like they were looking for something, or, well, some _one_ , so I stayed in the basement until the coast looked clear. Today was the first day I checked outside and saw the woods free of infected, but there's no guarantee that they'll stay gone."

A nasty chill traveled down Bubbles' spine at this new information. Her mind flashed to when she'd been considering leaving the camp on her own; what good would that have done with infected prowling around?

"For a while there, I thought I was trapped, but then the infected started leaving towards... Well actually, I don't know _where_ ; I'm just glad they left. I tried to get back here as fast as possible, and here I am."

Thinking back to what Boomer had initially said when they'd reunited, Bubbles asked, "Did you really have to hide in a dumpster to throw them off?"

"Brick and Butch were right about the infected sniffing us out," he explained. "They have wicked-good senses. It really sucked that I had to sit in, like, months-old garbage, but it was either that or getting caught, and with how hell-bent they were on turning me..."

A violent shiver rippled through him. "I'm just glad I made it back to you in one piece. Sorry if I smell bad, though."

Bubbles managed a small smile, but it left as quickly as it formed when another thought popped into her mind.

"You weren't bitten... Were you?"

"Huh?" Boomer blinked at her before his eyes widened. "Oh! No, no I wouldn't have come back to you if that were the case. I don't _think_ I was bitten, anyway.."

He rolled up the baggy sleeves of his torn shirt and examined his arms. Bubbles watched as he stood and checked his legs as well. As he did so, she moved to examine his neck, but there didn't appear to be any blemishes. Aside from the occasional freckle here and there, Boomer didn't sport anything that resembled bite marks.

"I think I'm okay," he said, brushing himself off. "Um... Should I strip down naked and ask you to help me look for a bite mark, or...?"

"No, no, no!" Bubbles blushed. "Th-that's not necessary, I was just asking because, well... Worth asking about, right?"

"Of course!" He nodded. "I swear, I wasn't bitten. Pretty sure I would've felt it if one of those monsters sank their teeth in me, and if that happened, I... I would've let them kill me."

Bubbles frowned. She hated it when he said things like that.

" _Boomer_..."

"Hey, I'm just saying!" He held up his hands in mock-defense. When he saw how upset his words had made her, he tried to offer a reassuring smile. "Seriously, though, I think I'm okay."

She gave a slow nod, accepting his answer. Boomer wasn't the type to lie, plus... She'd seen how the infected acted. It wasn't possible for them to talk or act human... Or, for that matter, have the ability to be charmingly awkward like her best friend. As long as he was okay and

"I'm not trying to guilt-trip you, but I was really worried for a while there," she admitted, lowering her gaze to her feet. "I thought something had happened and I was the last person alive, and I would never get to see you again, and—"

She shook her head. To think all that fussing had been for naught... "I'm just glad to see you safe and alive."

"I promised you I'd come back to you." Boomer was serious now, a meaningful look in his eyes. "I don't make promises unless I can keep them."

And then the goofy, sheepish guy she'd grown to love was back, rubbing his neck awkwardly.

"Okay, so maaaybe that's not entirely true... I used to promise Mojo I'd clean the house all the time, and that rarely happened, but still! I care about you—I _love_ you—and I promised you I'd come back." He shot her one of those genuine, sweet smiles that always reduced her to a puddle. "And that is a promise I will always keep no matter what."

Bubbles could feel another round of tears starting up, and she was out of her seat, pulling Boomer into another hug within a split second. It seemed like everything they'd both experienced over the past week hit them full-force because soon, they were both sobbing softly as they clung to one another, holding onto each other as if the world around them would fall apart if they didn't.

"I'm so happy you're alive," Bubbles croaked, ignoring the twinge of garbage-stink that clung to his clothes. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too." He nuzzled his nose against her hair. "I promise, we're sticking together from now on. You're all I have left, and I'll do everything I can to protect you."

* * *

After Boomer and Bubbles managed to pull themselves together, they quickly took stock of their supplies. Seeing that they had enough food to last them for however long it would take to get to the evacuation zone, Boomer took a quick bath in the lake to wash off all the grime and filth that coated him, changed into a fresh pair of clothes, and then they were off.

As they walked through the woods, Boomer held up a hand to shield his eyes from the sun as he squinted at the map in his hands.

"If this thing is correct—and I'm pretty sure it is—there might be a place up ahead where we can take shelter tonight."

"Are you sure it'll be safe?" Bubbles asked, maneuvering over a particularly large log. "You said the infected are swarming the woods, right?"

"That's an excellent question that deserves an excellent answer." He smiled sheepishly. "I _think_ most of them left, but... I could be wrong."

"Maybe we should just keep moving? Better not to risk it."

"But they move around more at night, so they'll probably be out and about. We risk getting caught by one if we're still walking around once the sun goes down."

Bubbles chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. "So either way, we're screwed."

"I don't think so. If we can find someplace to take shelter, we have a slight chance of not getting mauled." Boomer stepped over a particularly large bramble bush. "I mean, we could always hide somewhere inside. Who knows? Maybe there's something there that we can use to mask our scents."

"Like cologne, or cleaning stuff?"

"Like cologne or cleaning stuff," he affirmed. They continued walking for some time, a comfortable silence between them as Boomer tried to figure out other possible routes to the evac zone, just in case this one didn't work out.

Bubbles, on the other hand, took in her surroundings with a mix of wariness and delight. The weather was rather pleasant and the sunshine was doing wonders for her mood. It helped that her best friend-slash-boyfriend was back in action, safe and sound and still _human_ , still alive. She was content to enjoy the chorus of nature around them, the fresh air filled with occasional twinges of floral scents teasing her nose, but at the same time, she stayed alert to any odd noises that didn't sound like nature.

Eventually they came to a two-story cabin that looked like it doubled as a gift shop. Boomer glanced from the map to the building, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"Huh, that's weird..."

"What is?" Bubbles was pleased to find a decent-sized rock that she could rest on for a few minutes. As soon as she sat down, relief flooded her sore legs and she sighed.

"I thought this place would be a lot bigger. Guess they downsized before the outbreak?"

Boomer folded up the map and shoved it into his pocket, giving her a halfhearted shrug. "Still, a house is still a house. Stay out here, I'm gonna scout ahead and see if the coast is clear."

She went to stand up. "I can help if you want—"

He held up a hand. "Nope! I got this, just relax for a little bit. Besides, your ankle just started feeling better, and if we gotta run, I'd rather you be out here where you have a head-start to get away."

"B-but what about you?"

He grinned. "C'mon, now, I just managed to get away from an entire army of undead weirdos. You think one infected can take me down? Or even _two_? I eat those freaks for breakfast now!"

He flexed his bicep and kissed it, and Bubbles couldn't help but giggle. He was such a dork, but he was _her_ dork.

Boomer grew serious again after a moment. "It'll be fine. We've lucked out so far; just stay out here and rest. I'll give you the A-okay if things are, well, A-okay."

She hesitated. "Are you sure?"

He gently cupped her chin and pulled her in for a searing kiss, leaving her slightly dazed. His kisses always made her feel all fuzzy inside, but lately, they left her feeling even more dopey than usual. She supposed that absence really _did_ make the heart grow fonder.

"I'm sure," he whispered, his breath ghosting over her lips. "Be back soon. Stay on your guard, okay? You need anything, just yell."

With that, Boomer stood up and ascended the porch steps as quietly as he could. He tried the front door, which appeared to be open, and disappeared into the dark depths of the cabin.

Bubbles leaned back on her palms, happy to give her body a moment to rest. Anxiety poked at her stomach as she kept her gaze trained on the cabin that loomed before her, hopeful that Boomer didn't encounter anything that would create a problem. The sun was still shining brightly, tendrils of light snaking down through cracks in the overhead foliage and creating a hazy glow.

If she didn't know any better, she'd think this was all a dream. She had gone through all that worrying over Boomer, scared and dreading that he would never return, or that she'd try to go after him only to find a corpse, and for what? He was here with her now, as healthy and human as ever. She wasn't alone anymore; she wasn't the last human on earth.

Everything felt surreal, though; part of her wondered if there was a chance she'd lost her mind, and was hallucinating her blonde companion.

After about fifteen minutes, Boomer emerged and gave a small wave.

"All clear," he called. "There's a few cans of food in here, too. Come on in!"

Bubbles got to her feet and stretched briefly before she joined him inside. The shopfront was rustic-themed, full of little knick-knacks and camping-themed souvenirs. An archway to her left led into a small living room, complete with a plaid sofa set, a worn coffee table, and a television that looked like it was from the 1950s.

All in all, the cabin was homey.

"Think it's safe?" Bubbles asked, and Boomer nodded, fiddling with something small he'd picked up from one of the little baskets near the register.

"There's nothing here but us. We should be fine for tonight, but tomorrow we have to keep moving."

Bubbles headed into the living room and let her backpack fall to the floor with an unceremonious thump. She plopped down onto one of the sofas and heaved a sigh of relief. Boomer entered the room not too long after, a wide grin on his face while he hid something behind his back.

"Hey, can you close your eyes for a sec?"

She raised an eyebrow. "What for?"

"It's a surprise. Nothing bad, I promise."

Bubbles smiled before obliging.

"Okay, now hold out your hand."

She did so, and something soft and fuzzy was placed in her palm.

"Alright. You can open them again."

As soon as she opened her eyes again, she squealed at the sight of a teddy bear in her hand. It was small, no bigger than three inches tall, but it had a big blue ribbon tied around its neck and it was absolutely adorable.

Bubbles beamed up at Boomer, hugging the stuffed animal to her chest. "You got this for me?!"

"It was the only one in the gift shop, but I figured it would make you smile." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I hope you like it! I tried removing the price tag because, y'know, it's never classy to give a gift that shows the receiver how much you paid for it... Even though I didn't pay for it, but you know what I mean..."

Bubbles placed the stuffed toy on the sofa before springing to her feet and pulling Boomer in for a kiss. He seemed shocked for a split second, then relaxed, winding his arms around her waist and holding her close. As they kissed, he nibbled on her bottom lip to tease her and she giggled against him, pulling back to look at him.

If there was one thing Boomer could never get tired of, it was Bubbles' smile. When her face lit up with happiness, nothing could compare to the sparkle in her big blue eyes, the slight dimples in her cheeks, and the perfect smile that was bright enough to rival the sun. It was in that moment, frozen in time with her, that he realized how truly happy he was that he'd made it back to her in one piece. Seeing her so happy was worth the hell he'd gone through in evading his brothers and their army of undead.

She was worth surviving for.

"Thank you," she whispered, nuzzling her nose against his affectionately. "But you didn't have to do this. The best gift I ever could have gotten is standing right here with me. You came back to me, and that's all I'd ever want. As long as I get to be with you, I'm happy."

Boomer felt his cheeks heat up. He was at a loss for what to say, his heart swelling at her words.

 _Definitely worth surviving for._

* * *

After they'd found the main bedroom and settled in, Bubbles made short work of a can of raviolis while Boomer settled for a granola bar. They were both exhausted after the hike to this new place, Boomer even more so because of his initial journey to return to Bubbles, and it wasn't long before they both retired to the upstairs bedroom to rest up for the long journey that was in store for them again tomorrow.

Bubbles fell asleep quickly, her small frame curled around his body as she slept. He kept an arm wound around her protectively, relieved and content to have her back in his arms again after wondering whether he'd ever be able to see her again.

He kept thinking about his brothers, replaying all of the events of the previous week in his mind over and over again. He still couldn't believe that Brick and Butch had been turned, that they were advocating this new life they'd been thrust into. How could anyone think bloodlust was an okay trade-off for super-senses? After all the horror and carnage they'd seen in Bonsai Gardens and City Hall, how could anyone just brush that off and decide that becoming the creature responsible for all that is okay? After fighting to stay human, doing everything they could to keep the infected at bay... It just didn't make sense.

And then there was still another matter he needed to address: the fate of Bubbles' sisters. How could he ever find the right words to tell her that her sisters were turned? Were there even right words for that kind of thing? He didn't want to just come out and say it, not when she was already sort of fragile... Okay, so she wasn't exactly _fragile_ , but... Boomer was already having a hard time with the idea that _his_ brothers were monsters; he could only imagine how much harder it would be for Bubbles to learn that the people she'd been staying alive for, the people she hoped to be reunited with were now, well...

Not to mention Boomer hadn't even grieved over his brothers yet. What use was he to her if he hadn't even been able to deal with his own emotions? It wouldn't be good if his own grief crept up on him while he was trying to be there for Bubbles.

Speaking of the blonde beauty, Bubbles stirred in her sleep, gently tightening her hold on Boomer before she relaxed again, sighing contently. He ran his fingers through her hair, glancing down at her and trying to make out her features in the thick darkness around them. He imagined that she looked peaceful, happy to at least have company again. He felt horrible for leaving her on her own for so long, but he supposed it was worth it; now he knew that there was a bigger danger out there, and now he could actually be useful and help Bubbles get to safety.

His eyelids began to grow heavy at that thought. Maybe... Maybe for right now it was best to keep this information to himself, at least until he could figure out the right time and the right words. Their main objective now was getting to the evacuation zone quickly and safely; he could worry about delivering the bad news to Bubbles later.

For right now, after everything they'd experienced... She deserved to be happy, even if it only lasted for a short while.


	22. Chapter 22

**I apologize for the long break. I graduated and I was kinda in a gray area for a bit, trying to figure out what to do next. Graduation is exciting but it's also terrifying, because when you're used to going to school for like 16 years straight, once that's finished, you have a LOT of free time and a LOT to figure out. Word to the wise for all of you who are in high school or still in college: build up that resume with work, volunteering, getting involved in clubs, etc. because it's very hard to find a job with just a bachelor's degree and no work experience. A 4.0 and graduating with honors is impressive, but not as impressive as someone with honors AND experience. Take it from someone who is STILL struggling to find a job five months after getting a BA with honors.**

 **Oh and I just wanna say a special thank you to everyone who reviewed/fav'ed/followed: you guys are AWESOME and THANK YOU! Seriously, to all my readers, you have no idea how honored I am that you guys are keeping up with this story and that you decided to come along for the ride with our favorite Blues. And thank you, _thank you_ for being patient with me**— **I know I haven't updated in, like, forever, but I'm never going to give up on this story. Rest assured, it will be completed one day and even if I'm not updating as often as I was, please know that I'm still working on it.**

 **I hope everyone is doing well! Let's get back to the story, shall we? ;)**

* * *

 **.: 22 :.**

Waking up the next morning felt like a dream. Bubbles was the first to crack open her eyes, the first streaks of dawn breaking across the night sky.

She sat up, surveying her surroundings. It took her a moment to remember the events of yesterday, of having Boomer return to her safe and sound; one glance at the arm draped loosely across her waist indicated that her memory hadn't failed her. She hadn't hallucinated or lost her mind; the handsome blond was, in fact, sleeping soundly beside her, his expression peaceful. His lips were parted slightly as his chest rose and fell with each soft, steady breath.

Bubbles gently moved his arm off of her so she could shift, turning fully towards him. She reached out a hand and gently cupped his cheek, tracing circles over the smooth, cool skin with her thumb. Her fingertips moved and hovered over his lips, those soft lips that always seemed to make her go weak in the knees. His eyes were closed, but she knew they were almost always full of mirth with a side of mischief. Boomer was a very cheerful, chipper, optimistic guy, and she loved that about him. He always knew how to make her smile and laugh; he always made her feel like she mattered. Not that she didn't feel that way before, but... He made her feel special.

Both of her hands came to rest on either side of his face and she leaned down, pressing her lips against his forehead. She was elated to have him back; she decided that if there was some chance this _was_ just a dream, she didn't want to wake up, especially if waking up meant realizing that Boomer was not with her, or worse—that he wasn't actually alive anymore.

"Hi, Bubbles."

She startled, jumping back slightly.

Boomer opened his eyes and smirked at her. "You really like touching my face when I'm asleep, don't you?"

Embarrassment colored Bubbles' cheeks. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't. I was just resting my eyes is all."

He reached his hand out and she took it, intertwining her fingers with his. She studied his hand, running her own fingertips along the callouses and scars of his palm, and she could've sworn Boomer shivered at the small action.

"It didn't feel real, waking up next to you," she admitted, and Boomer chuckled.

"Yeah, I've heard that one before, only I don't think the other girls meant it as nicely as you do."

...And just like that, Bubbles let go of his hand to lightly smack his chest. He laughed.

"Kidding, kidding." Boomer yawned before sitting up. To Bubbles' surprise, he pulled her onto his lap, lifting her like she weighed nothing, and kept his arms wound around her waist. "I promise, I'm here with you and you're here with me. In fact, you're stuck with me; hope you don't mind puns, lame jokes, and s'mores."

Bubbles leaned up to kiss him. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

"Mm, good." He returned her kiss with vigor, his hands snaking up to gently cup her face as his tongue swiped across her bottom lip. Butterflies swarmed her belly as he deepened the kiss and she was left wanting much more when he pulled away, eyebrows drawn in confusion.

"Wait a sec, what time is it?"

"I think it's early morning," Bubbles commented, pointing towards the window, and Boomer cursed under his breath. He smiled at her sheepishly.

"As much as I'd love nothing more than to continue this, we have to get moving. We're burning daylight."

He pecked her lips one last time and she moved so that he could get up. He went through his backpack and retrieved a clean shirt to change into. Bubbles averted her eyes to allow him some privacy, forcing herself to consider what remaining clean clothes _she_ had left. When Boomer finished changing, he slid his backpack on and headed towards her.

To Bubbles' surprise, he cupped her chin and tilted her face up so that he could kiss her again. When their lips met, whatever longing she'd felt immediately disappeared. She wasn't sure what was different, but Boomer's kisses were addicting. Maybe the old adage of "absence makes the heart grow fonder" had some truth to it after all.

"Meet me downstairs?" he whispered, breath teasing her lips. She could only nod, dazed by his tender touch. Boomer kissed her one final time before leaving the room to go down to the gift shop.

It took her a moment to shake off the dreamy daze that had reduced her mental faculties to jelly. Once she was able to think clearly again, she went into the bathroom and cleaned up for the day as best she could. Upon rummaging through her backpack for a clean outfit, she was relieved to find a pair of denim shorts and a white cotton tank top. Bubbles could already feel the heat of the oncoming day seeping in through the window; cotton was definitely going to be more comfortable during their journey.

When she made it down to the gift shop, Boomer already had his map out and was examining it closely. He smiled at her when she entered the room, holding out his hand for her to take. She obliged him and he pulled her into his side, instead wrapping his arm around her and holding her close. She pecked his cheek and felt that butterfly feeling when his smile grew brighter.

"Ready to go?" he asked. "We've got a lot of ground to cover today. Do we have everything we need?"

"Water, food, clothes... I think we're good," she replied, and he nodded.

"Alright. Let's go!"

They left the cabin around roughly six in the morning, and they knew the time thanks to a battery-operated clock hanging up in the gift shop. They covered a bit more distance than yesterday due to their leaving so early, and by the time noon rolled around, the summer heat had kicked in full-force. Bubbles all-but collapsed onto a rock when he said they could stop and rest for a bit. Sweat was pouring off her, soaking every fiber of her clothing, and her legs were so sore that she wondered if it was possible for them to fall off from too much walking.

He offered her a water bottle and she accepted it with a hasty "thanks," practically guzzling it down the moment the first droplet met her tongue. Boomer took a few sips himself, but his focus remained on the map in his hands.

"If I'm right, we should be a quarter of the way there," he murmured, trailing his finger to follow the course he'd set for them. "We might still be a little bit behind, but we're making good time."

"Where exactly is this place located?" Bubbles asked. Boomer showed her the map, and her eyes lit up with recognition.

"So, it's located just outside of Farmsville? That sounds familiar... I think my dad visited that place a few times."

"I've never heard of it before in my life," Boomer admitted. "But I think we're just about to enter this 'Farmsville' if we keep up our pace."

Bubbles remained seated for a few more minutes before pushing herself to her feet. After readjusting her backpack, she gave a determined nod.

"I'm ready if you are." Then, after realizing Boomer had spent the whole time standing, "You sure you don't want to rest for a few minutes, though?"

"Nah, I'm fine. I used to walk around Citysville for hours at a time, so I'm used to long treks," he explained. "I might need to sit down the next time we stop, but I'm good right now."

With that, they resumed their journey. As they walked, Bubbles didn't fail to appreciate the vibrant life around her. At one point, they encountered a small pond with a few frogs in it. Bubbles thought they were absolutely adorable, and even Boomer cracked a smile at the sight of them playing and hopping around in the water. Birds whistled and sang above them as if they hadn't a care in the world. The rest of the world was plagued with death, gore, and destruction, but nature was relatively undisturbed.

The sun sometimes broke through from the thick foliage overhead, illuminating the billows of humidity hanging over the woods. Bubbles hoped that their next stop had a pool or a working shower; she felt disgusting. Her clothes were damp with sweat and clung to her skin uncomfortably, not to mention her hair felt completely frizzed out. She was glad she'd thought to toss it up into a messy ponytail; the less she felt the long strands sticking to her neck and face, the better.

"I hope the evac zone has working showers," she murmured, fanning herself. "I'd kill for a bath."

"Ditto." Boomer smiled at her. "I'm sure they do have showers. I don't think it would go over too well if the military or civilians had to go weeks without showering."

"True." As they went to step over a particularly large log, Boomer helped her over it. Once she was safely on her feet again, she reached for his hand and, to her delight, he got the message and held it as they continued walking.

"I meant to ask you, do you really think it's still up and running? I know a lot of zones have already been overrun... You really think we'll be safe there?"

Boomer's smiled dimmed. "I _don't_ know, honestly; it could be overrun for all I know, but it's worth checking out, no? And besides, it's somewhere we can go instead of letting my brothers catch us. Better to have somewhere to go than to be sitting ducks, I think." He visibly shuddered, not wanting to think about what would happen if Brick and Butch _did_ catch up to them. He kinda-sorta pissed off his brothers and if they got caught, he and Bubbles would probably die miserable, painful deaths... Well, _he_ would, anyway. Bubbles might be spared, but allowing his brothers to catch up to them was out of the question. He'd be damned if he let that happen.

Bubbles silently agreed that the evac zone, which could be overrun, was still a good place to go; it truly _was_ better to have some kind of objective, somewhere to go, than to just sit around. It was more of a plan than she had at the moment and she trusted Boomer's judgement; she'd just have to hope that this zone had been more successful in keeping the infected from besting them. A sliver of hope remained that her family could be there, too; maybe they'd been found and transported to safety? If she was really lucky, maybe the next time she could charge her phone (if she could ever charge it again, now that the infected had destroyed everything remotely electric), she'd see a message from Buttercup explaining they'd gone to a new zone.

She knew it might be unrealistic to think her family was still alive, but she refused to give into the negative thoughts that told her otherwise. Blossom, Buttercup, and the Professor weren't stupid and they were strong, especially when they put their heads together. They were definitely fine, they _had_ to be; she just had to keep hoping and believing they were.

It was when the sun slowly began its descent towards the horizon that they stumbled upon a small house that appeared to be on the outskirts of some neighborhood area. Boomer insisted upon being the one to check it out and make sure there was nothing inside, to which nothing _was_ inside, and they made themselves at home as the night fell.

After a cold shower, which wasn't too unpleasant after being out in the heat all day (and gaining a nasty sunburn on her cheeks and shoulders), Bubbles was all-too eager to rest; after hours and hours of walking, only taking occasional small sips from her water bottle, it was a relief to be able to eat, drink, and relax her sore legs. She rummaged through her backpack and pulled out a box of Ritz crackers and a water bottle. Boomer, on the other hand, simply set his backpack down and stretched out on the couch. He leaned his head back against the cushions and closed his eyes, exhaustion clear on his handsome features. As Bubbles practically inhaled her "dinner," her gaze kept flickering towards him.

After swallowing a mouthful of crackers and water, she cleared her throat. "Are you hungry at all?"

Boomer shook his head, not even opening an eye to look at her. Then again, she knew shoving crackers into her mouth and chugging a water bottle probably wasn't the most attractive sight in the world. He probably didn't want to watch as she gorged herself on their meager rations, and how could he be hungry after watching her be so gross and impolite?

Embarrassment warmed her cheeks. "Sorry, by the way. Didn't mean to pig out."

He chuckled, a smile tugging at his lips. "Don't ever be sorry for having a good appetite; I wouldn't even consider that pigging out. If anything, put three slices of pepperoni pizza and some soda in front of me, and you'll see what true pigging out looks like."

She laughed softly. Pizza and soda sounded like heaven right about now.

After discarding the empty cracker sleeve and taking one last swig of her water, Bubbles joined Boomer on the couch. He shifted so that one of his arms draped across her shoulders, pulling her closer. Bubbles readjusted so that she was practically laying on him, one arm resting across his midsection while her cheek rested against his chest.

"So, how much longer do we have until we make it to the evacuation zone?" she asked softly.

"Two days, maybe three." He ran his fingers through her messy hair, an action that soothed her greatly.

"Think my sisters might be there?"

He paused in his ministrations. Bubbles was about to ask why he'd stopped playing with her hair when his voice came again. "Anything is possible."

She could feel her eyelids growing heavy. The fatigue of the day was wearing her down; she fought to stay awake, but Boomer kissed her temple.

"Get some rest, Bubbles, I'll take first watch tonight."

With that, all fight left her and she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

It was somewhere around one in the morning when Bubbles jolted upright, breathing hard. A thin sheen of sweat decorated her forehead and she clutched at her chest, her heart hammering against her ribcage as fear continued to pulse through her system. It took her a few minutes to realize she was safe from whatever she'd been dreaming about and slowly, the fear dissipated and her heart rate began to slow to a normal pace.

When Bubbles' eyes adjusted to the darkness, she was surprised to find herself on the couch alone, her shoes sitting just next to the coffee table. The entire living room was pitch dark and it was hard for her to see, eyes adjusted or not.

"Boomer?" she whispered. "Boomer, are you there?"

No answer.

She stood up and crept into the kitchen where moonlight managed to peek in through the thick curtains. The goofy blond was nowhere to be found, but his backpack was right on the table where he'd left it. The entire kitchen seemed to be empty and eerily still; the floorboards weren't even creaking beneath her feet. She strained her ears to pick up on any sounds, but the house seemed devoid of life—as well as her best friend's presence.

"Boomer?" she tried again, using her normal voice. When silence continued to reign, she yelled out, " _Boomer_!"

Silence remained. _Where the heck is he?_

Bubbles spied the back screen door and tentatively approached it. She wrapped her fingers around the knob and began to turn it slowly, wincing when the metal squeaked in protest. She waited for a few heartbeats, listening to the quiet world around her, and when all seemed to be okay, she pulled the door open and stepped outside into the heavy night air. Blades of grass tickled her bare feet as she crept through the backyard.

Nothing looked out of the ordinary. A grill, a small patio set, a hose, and a few bikes... Nothing looked like there had been an intruder here. The bikes actually reminded her of Buttercup's, back when she used to ride around the neighborhood with Mitch Mitchelson and his crew. The memory would've made her smile if a snapping twig hadn't pierced the stillness like a gunshot.

Bubbles immediately froze, ice-cold adrenaline beginning to seep into her veins. She looked around, desperate to find the source of the sound, but it didn't come again. Had she imagined it? Was she going crazy, or—

 _There it is again._ The blonde spun on her heel, gaze roaming over every nook and cranny of the yard. The high wooden fencing prevented her from looking beyond it, which was actually a little comforting—if she couldn't see the thing, it couldn't see her, right?—but it also made her a sitting duck; maybe whatever was out there _could_ see her and was using the fence to its advantage.

Or maybe it was just an animal out there; they _were_ still practically in the woods, after all. Whatever was snapping twigs could have been a deer or a raccoon for all she knew. Maybe she was getting worked up for nothing.

Her reasoning would have been comforting if the hairs on the back of her neck didn't suddenly stand up, and she froze again, wondering what was wrong with her. A prickly, heated sensation began on her neck and back, a sensation she knew very well from all those times in high school when she decided to wear a short skirt, or when she'd wear a tight top that showed lots of cleavage.

 _Someone is watching me._

Bubbles slowly backed up, careful to keep every step as gentle and quiet as she could. If she could just get back to the house, she could slip her shoes on, try to find Boomer, and get the heck out of there. Her gut was screaming _danger danger danger_ and she didn't want to stick around to find out why.

Before she could back up and reach for the doorknob, a hand planted itself on her shoulder and Bubbles screamed... Or at least, she _would've_ screamed if not for another hand quickly clamping down over her mouth. She fought against the person's grip, trying to elbow, kick, and squirm her way to freedom. She would NOT go down without a fight—

"Wait, Bubbles, relax! It's me!"

She immediately stopped thrashing against the person, chest heaving as ice-cold adrenaline continued to pump through her veins. "Boomer?!"

"Yeah. Yeah, it's me." He turned her around and sure enough, it was him, safe and sound. He pulled her into the house and eased the screen door closed behind them, and once they were safely inside, Bubbles narrowed her eyes and shoved at him.

"Where the hell _were_ you?! I tried calling you, but you weren't in the house!"

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about? I was in the bathroom."

"No, you weren't!"

" _Yes_ , I _was_. I was just getting a glass of water, I was close to the living room."

"But there's only one bathroom and it's upstairs."

Boomer blinked. "Bubbles, there's _two_ bathrooms in this house."

She blanched slightly. "What?"

"Two bathrooms."

Okay, so maybe she didn't know that. She didn't remember seeing two bathrooms, just the one that was upstairs, but maybe her memory wasn't reliable when she'd just woken from a nightmare. "Two? Then which one were you in?"

"The one next to the kitchen."

Bubbles stared at him. "There's a bathroom next to the kitchen?"

"Well, yeah, I thought you knew that."

"Didn't you hear me calling for you?"

"Um... No?" Boomer tilted his head to the side. "Are you feeling okay? You know if I heard you call out, I would've come running or at least answered you."

Bubbles didn't know what to think. Was she truly losing her mind? She'd called for Boomer, loudly enough that if he was downstairs or upstairs, he would've heard her. _Other_ things would have heard her if they were prowling close enough to the house. Was it possible she hadn't called as loudly as she'd thought? And how exactly could she have been sure he wasn't in the house? Just because the place was dead-silent didn't mean Boomer had left. What had she been thinking?

"I'm sorry," she finally managed, frustrated tears welling up in her eyes. "I just woke up from this crazy nightmare, and I don't remember what it was about, but I know it was enough to make me feel out of sorts, and I tried to call for you, but maybe I wasn't loud enough, and then I went outside and there was something out there, and—"

"Whoa, whoa." Boomer gently placed a finger to her lips. "Bubbles, it's okay. Really."

"But it's _not_ , there's something out there!" she hissed fearfully, pointing to the screen door. "I kept hearing twigs snapping, there might be an infected around!"

His expression grew dark. "I'll go take a look. You stay here."

"But what if—"

" _Bubbles_." Something in his voice changed, though she couldn't quite place her finger on what it was. "Humor me, please? Stay here and be as quiet as you can. It might just be an animal, but I'm going to go see what's going on. If there's infected, I'll shout, and that's your cue to grab your stuff and run, okay?"

She wanted to protest, but there was something in Boomer's eyes that halted any arguments she would have made. Wordlessly, she nodded and sat down at the kitchen table.

Boomer retrieved a knife from the knife block and disappeared into the backyard. Bubbles closed her eyes, silently praying for him to return safely, that it would, in fact, be just an animal lurking around outside. Roughly five minutes passed, then seven, then ten; she was about to grab Buttercup's bat and head outside for herself when Boomer returned.

"Hey, turns out it was a deer. I managed to scare it off."

A deer. A _deer_. How stupid could she be?

"You mean I got all worked up over a _deer_?"

Boomer grinned. "Hey, in your defense, it was a buck and he looked pretty ripped. Probably spends a lot of time at the gym; I wouldn't wanna go hoof-to-hoof with that dude anytime soon."

Bubbles sighed, slumping back against the chair, and ran a hand over her face. Boomer must have sensed that she was upset with herself because he knelt in front of her, taking one of her hands into his.

"Look, there are creatures out there far dangerous than deer. You were right to be alarmed."

"But it was a _deer_. I feel like the biggest idiot."

"You're not an idiot. That's _my_ label." A goofy smirk tilted his lips up. "And so what? What if it _hadn't_ been an animal? I'd rather be cautious and make sure everything's ship-shape than to just brush it all off and wake up to find an infected standing over me."

Boomer was trying to be comforting and she appreciated it, but everything about tonight felt very wrong. Bubbles couldn't explain it, but there was a sinking feeling in her gut, like she was waiting for something really bad to happen. The more she tried to figure out why she might have such a feeling, the more her brain hurt. She knew there had to be infected lurking about—this was a neighborhood area, after all, where people once lived and were probably bitten—yet there hadn't been any evidence proving they were in danger here. So why did she feel such unshakable dread? Was she finally losing her marbles?

"Do you think I'm going crazy?" Her bottom lip quivered, and he instantly drew her into a hug.

"You're far from crazy. If anyone's cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, it's me."

That earned him a weak chuckle.

"On a serious note, though, you're fine, I'm fine, and everything's okay. We're safe for right now."

Boomer ran his fingers through her hair and she instantly relaxed, feeling more and more at peace now that he was with her. She really didn't like being alone anymore; everything seemed easier to handle with Boomer at her side. She couldn't explain it, but ever since he'd returned, he felt like home to her, almost like how she felt whenever she and her family would stay in for a movie night... God, did she miss movie nights... Something told her that this whole apocalyptic situation had cured Buttercup of her love for all-things gore and horror.

"You're really sure it was just a deer?" Bubbles asked.

Boomer continued to stroke her hair. "I'm one-hundred percent positive. I told you, the dude was totally jacked."

She nodded, trying to figure out if perhaps she'd simply allowed her imagination to run away with her. It was perfectly fine to be cautious, but if she became cautious to the point of jumping at every little twig snapping, that would be a problem. But... She'd been so sure, her intuition had never lied to her before...

"You should try to get a little more sleep," he suggested, pulling back slightly to press a kiss to her forehead. "We'll leave at the crack of dawn, put as much distance between us and this place as possible, and if you have another nightmare, I'll be right here when you wake up. Sound good?"

Bubbles forced a nod. Her gut was still churning with dread, but the look in Boomer's eyes was reassuring. He'd never given her a reason to doubt him before. She trusted him with her life.

"Alright."

Boomer took her hand and led her into the living room, back into the darkness she'd woken up to. Bubbles sat down on the couch and yawned, wondering if sleep was even possible at this point. Once Boomer settled down next to her, drawing her close to his chest where she snuggled up to him, he began running his fingers through her hair.

Sleep took her quickly after that.

* * *

 **Fun facts:**

 ***If you look up the Powerpuff Girls Wikia, there are, in fact, three cities that make up the Pokey Oaks region: Citiesville, Townsville, and Farmsville, the last of which was only mentioned in the 1999 episode, "Beat Your Greens." Interesting, huh?**

** **Turns out I've been accidentally misspelling "Citysville" this whole time. Apparently it's supposed to be "Citiesville." For someone who grew up with the PPG from when it first aired in 1999, I'm an idiot lol. But you know what? It is what it is and I kinda like the spelling I've been using, wrong as it might be. You guys okay with me keeping it as "Citysville" for now?**

 *****blonde vs blond. I screwed that up a lot, too. Blonde = ladies, blond = gentlemen. I never knew that until now, so eventually I'm gonna have to go through this story and fix where I screwed up. Ah, the joys of being a perfectionist.**

 **I swear, it's always something with my writing. Despite these errors, I do hope you all continue to enjoy my story and please let me know what you think so far! I always enjoy reading what you guys have to say about each chapter ^_^**


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